Photo credit: Valery Anatolievich
by Abby Harrison, Editor, Quiet Communities
New York City Council will hold a public hearing at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16 on bills to ban nonessential helicopter traffic at NYC-run heliports, as well as other helicopter-issue bills and resolutions.
Each year, 30,000 tourist helicopters fly from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and tens of thousands of commuter flights take off each year from NYC-based heliports, according to nonprofit Stop the Chop NY/NJ. Stop the Chop works to ban nonessential helicopter flights over the metropolitan area. Nonessential applies to commuter and tourist helicopters.
If bill 26-2024 or 70-2024 pass, all nonessential fossil fuel-based helicopters from the two city-owned heliports at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and the E 34th St. heliport would be banned. This legislation is the “most consequential action” the council can take to reduce city helicopter traffic, according to the nonprofit’s website.
And, council resolution 85 supports a state bill to impose noise taxes on nonessential helicopter and seaplane traffic over NYC. Stop the Chop supports these bills and resolutions and the board members plan to testify on April 16. You can register here to testify online, in-person or submit written comments.
E-mail Stop the Chop board chair Melissa Elstein with any questions at [email protected]
