| PEPA - Purchase Environmental Protective Association

Westchester County Airport Master Plan

Tue, Sep 6, 2022 • Westchester Airport

Upcoming Meetings on the Master Plan for Westchester County Airport

PEPA monitors the issues that have a direct impact on Purchase residents. As a member of the Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion (Coalition) We strive to ensure that there is no expansion at the airport, and work with Westchester County Executive’s Office, and the county government, including the Legislators, and Airport Advisory Board, to minimize noise and pollution impacts of the airport.

I am proud to serve on the Coalition’s Steering Committee lead by George Klein, Chairperson. Together we are writing to inform you about the next Westchester County Airport Master Plan public input session is Tuesday, September 6th, at 6pm at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center.

The purpose of these Master Plan Meetings for the County to gather baseline feedback from the public about what they want from our local airport as well as their concerns. As we move forward with the process, the Coalition has developed and communicated some points we suggest be included in the updated Master Plan. Please feel free to include these in your own remarks:

  1.     Include understandable language preserving and strengthening the County’s policy against any airport expansion, articulated in a resolution by our Board of Legislators in 2003.  Click this link to see the original resolution.

  2.     Strengthen the voluntary overnight ‘curfew’ that is violated every night.

  3.     Strengthen and explore new environmental strategies to address noise, air emissions, and discharges of de-icing fluids and pollutants.

  4.     Protect our drinking water.

  5.     No private aviation expansion - currently 85% of airport operations. We have had continuing reminders of the increased volatility of our weather this Spring and Summer. This is the climate emergency’s local reality. Injecting more private aviation into the mix (the most environmentally harmful way to fly), is not the solution to this increasingly concerning issue.

  6.     No new infrastructure that could potentially expand operations. It is not possible to hold companies to promises of higher efficiency. No legal enforcement mechanism exists of which we are aware. Control is lost forever once lease is signed or new facility is expanded.

  7.     Increasing sustainability through solar installations on airport buildings and open land, the rapid adoption of unleaded and sustainable fuels, and safe electric aviation.

  8.     Prioritize hangars for the personal use of Westchester-based businesses and pilots, instead of charter operators or airlines operating outside of the terminal.

  9.     Structure the Master Plan around a zero-growth base case consistent with County policy. We have already exceeded the maximum environmental impact that residents are willing to tolerate.

Whatever you can do to attend and to encourage other people to participate is important to our cause. We must protect against risks both known and unknown.

Thank you from both of us,

Anne Gold Steering Committee Secretary Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion; and

George Klein Steering Committee Chairperson, Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion.

Key Links

Check for upcoming meetings that include Tuesday, September 13 at 7 pm at the Harvest Time Church, 1338 King Street, Greenwich, CT 06831 here: On The Horizon - Westchester County Gov

Westchester County Airport Master Plan

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