Res. No. 892

Resolution calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to amend the North Shore helicopter route to extend further west to cover Northeast Queens

By Council Members Vallone, Chin, Koo, Rose and Constantinides

                     Whereas, In 2007, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and Congressman Tim Bishop conducted a meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), local helicopter operators and airport proprietors to address noise complaints stemming from helicopter operations along the north shore of Long Island, NY; and

                     Whereas, In 2008, as a result of this meeting, the FAA established a voluntary route that helicopter pilots could take over the north shore of Long Island, NY (the “North Shore helicopter route”); and

                     Whereas, In 2012, in response to concerns from a large number of residents disturbed by the level of noise from helicopters operating over Long Island, the FAA adopted a rule generally mandating use of the North Shore helicopter route; and

                     Whereas, Such rule was scheduled to lapse in 2 years unless the FAA determined that a permanent rule was merited; and

Whereas, In 2014, the FAA published a final rule that extends the requirement for the mandatory North Shore helicopter route for an additional two years; and

Whereas, According to the FAA’s North Shore helicopter route training, the mandatory route the helicopters have to fly only extends along the shore of Long Island; and

Whereas, There are four heliports in the city of New York that accept charter flights flying to and from Long Island that are required to fly along the North Shore helicopter route; and

Whereas, The North Shore helicopter route does not extend west of Long Island to cover areas of the city of New York that are also impacted by helicopters flying between the city of New York to Long Island, NY; and

Whereas, According to NYC Open Data Plan’s 311 Service Requests, the second largest number of noise complaints about helicopters in Queens, NY are from Whitestone, Queens, which is the northernmost community in Queens and the community directly west of the North Shore helicopter route; and

Whereas, In August 2015, Senator Charles Schumer sent a letter to urge the FAA Administrator to address the noise pollution caused by heavy helicopter traffic throughout Northeast Queens, including Whitestone and Malba Garden; and

Whereas, The letter specified that the FAA could apply its authority and create or make changes to helicopter flight patterns to redirect their flight paths, whenever possible, to all-water routes; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the city of New York calls on the Federal Aviation Administration to amend the North Shore helicopter route to extend further west to cover Northeast Queens.

RTH
LS# 5990
10/22/15 6:36PM