Photo credit: Longxiang Qian
by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies
The author of this article, Lori Comstock, informs us that people living in North Jersey have easy access to air travel, which is a positive thing. But she adds that the jets taking off from Teterboro Airport create a great deal of discomfort for nearby residents. There are plans to make Teterboro a more appealing airport with several rehabilitation projects. The residents’ reactions, including from a deputy mayor, were not met with enthusiasm, as expected, and they are hoping to do something about it.
On a positive note, we learn that members of the Rutherford Girl Scout Senior Troop 96898 are gathering information to demonstrate how “plagued” their community is by the airport’s air and noise pollution. This troop, who will be high school sophomores, are part of a scouts’ Take Action project which enables young people to affect their community positively.
The troop does not want to stop planes from flying in and out of Teterboro, but rather hopes the airport will reduce the adverse impacts that aircraft bring about. Suggestions include a permanent noise monitor in Rutherford, better use of runways and greater support from elected officials in monitoring the noise problem. The Hackensack deputy mayor’s is also frustrated that a proposed new flight path still needs to be discussed further. We also learn that the noise levels have increased from last year and that Teterboro produces noise levels that exceed the 65-decibel limit set by the Federal Aviation Administration.
This article underscores the frustration of many people who live daily with aviation air pollution and noise, with no remedies in sight. It also allows us to applaud the efforts of young people who are working toward lessening aviation air pollution and noise in our communities.
