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Impacts are Borne in Surrounding Communities

The Tweed Airport Authority recently voted 9-4 to approve a long-term lease with Avports which envisions airport runway lengthening and a new terminal on the East Haven side. All Authority actions require only a simple majority vote. Since New Haven’s eight delegates comprise the majority, New Haven can effectively control the outcome. This is an insult to the principle of fairness, especially as the impacts are borne in largest part by the surrounding communities of East Haven, New Haven’s East Shore, and adjoining neighborhoods in Branford. A super majority should be required for decisions that impact the region.

Privately installed electronic monitors are currently sampling noise and air pollution. They often register dangerously high levels now, at the current volume of flights. Yet the official approval process for the expansion ignores actual data in favor of theoretical modeling. Actual data is far more compelling and should be the basis for any decision reexpansion.

New Haven has driven the increase in commercial flights at Tweed. New Haven should now steer the flight paths for all traffic over the Long Island Sound and over New Haven, not over East Haven and Branford unless winds prohibit it. These communities have a diminished or no voice at the table. This injustice should be corrected. East Haven should be given a larger voice and Branford should be a participant in matters impacting the region.

Sandra Reiners

Branford