Local officials met at East Hills Village Hall with New York State Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's Long Island regional director Michael Scheid at the end of September to discuss flight plan analysis and next steps in tackling the persistent issue of excessive airplane noise affecting North Hempstead residents, according to a statement released by the Town of Hempstead.\
“For many years, North Hempstead has grappled with the adverse effects of airplane noise, which has had a significant impact on the quality of life for residents in the region,” the statement said.
Town Council Member Peter Zuckerman, who championed a recent resolution to allocate funds for a comprehensive flight plan analysis, and East Hills Mayor Michael Koblenz, who has long been an advocate for equitable distribution of flights to reduce noise and air pollution, joined forces to seek solutions.
"Since the beginning of the airplane crisis over a decade ago, I have been trying to find a resolution to abate the noise and the air pollution caused by excessive airplanes overhead,” Koblenz said. “The solution we seek is simply an equitable distribution of flights, so everyone shares equally.”
He appreciated the work of the two other officials in attendance to address the matter.
Meeting between officals to discuss an analysis of airplane noise. Photo: Town of North Hempstead.
Zuckerman expressed his optimism about the collaborative approach.
"Our meeting with Senator Gillibrand's office was a significant step forward in our mission to alleviate airplane noise in North Hempstead,” he said. “It's clear that we are not alone in recognizing the importance of this issue, and we appreciate Senator Gillibrand's commitment to working with us on a solution that benefits our community.”
The meeting represented a step forward in local efforts to find solutions to the airplane noise problem. The flight plan analysis, funded by a recent resolution, will provide essential data to guide future actions aimed at achieving a more equitable distribution of flights and reducing airplane noise in the region.
