Photo credit: NAUSHIL | SKYHAWK. ASIA
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
The Pascack Press reported that residents of the small township of Washington, New Jersey continue to speak out against “the persistent jet noise that plagues the Pascack Valley.” The Teterboro Aircraft Noise Abatement and Advisory Committee met earlier this week. Township resident Mary Ellen Stickel told town council members that the local anti-jet noise group Taxpayers for Aircraft Noise Solutions and Safety (TANS2) attends meetings and is seeking new members. Unfortunately, Pascack Valley towns have been unable to gain a seat by vote of TAANAAC’s 16 member communities. Residents of these towns have concerns about aircraft noise, air pollution and safety. Stickel also said, “I know this is a horrible thought, but I think we are one plane crash from really waking up about this all.”
She’s right. Teterboro Airport is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority considers Teterboro to be a general aviation reliever airport. Its stated goal is to remove non-scheduled general aviation aircraft from scheduled commercial aviation traffic, but many think that Teterboro’s real purpose is to be a more convenient New York City area airport for companies or individuals wealthy enough to own or lease private planes. Executive jets and private planes crash at a much higher rate than larger commercial planes. I was unable to find a summary of executive jet and private plane crashes, but from 2009 until February of 2025 there were no scheduled commercial airplane crashes in the United States.
We hope the TANS2 members have success in protecting their communities and children from the dangers of planes flying too close to where they live, work and go to school. We will try to keep up with what is happening at Teterboro.
