Coalition Weighs in on New Hangar
- By 'Plane Sense for HPN'
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- 15 Jun, 2022
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Position Paper Submitted to Board of Legislators
June 14, 2022
Dear Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairperson Borgia and members of the Committee of the Whole,
The Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion (www.ctpwae.org) attended Million Air’s (“MA”) presentation to the Committee of the Whole last Wednesday, June 8, where MA sought approval for an additional 80,000 square foot hanger on the site of an existing light general aviation (“GA”) hangar. On behalf of our supporters, made up of environmental organizations, homeowner associations, and families representing well over 5000 residents from throughout the region (see our website for details), we caution you to discount MA’s claims of benefits to residents and to remain vigilant about negative environmental impacts and risks. Given MA’s proposal runs counter to longstanding County policy on airport facility expansion (see BOL resolution 245-2003), its bar to clear for approval should be set high.
- The light GA community does not seem to feel that MA’s existing T-hangar and ramp are “garbage”. In fact, it appears to be a usable resource in high demand built with government funding at a location designated for light GA services. MA’s actions may subject the County to FAA penalties.
- MA’s failure to comply with NEPA regulations or obtain FAA approval before converting an aviation facility to storage and car-parking – all while claiming exemplary behavior – make it unwise to accept its other claims at face value.
- MA claims that new hangars eliminate certain flights, but it was very careful to avoid stating that their facility’s level of overall operations has decreased or would decrease in the future.
- MA is not sharing information sufficient to test their claims, including who uses their existing new hangar. Without such data, the County can’t assess the value to Westchester-based businesses or analyze the additional flights the new based aircraft make that would offset any eliminated flights.
- Once built, the airport has no way to constrict the use of a new hangar without running afoul of FAA regulations. Even were MA to make good on its rosy flight projections, the County will have no ability to hold MA or future lessees to these pledges over time.
- The County cannot grant expanded hangar facilities to MA and expect it to end there. FAA regulations mandate fair and non-discriminatory treatment of similarly situated airport operators, and multiple lessees have proposed expansions of their own.
- The County can generate larger-scale solar energy and produce good construction and operation jobs at the airport without expansionary concessions to tenants.
The Coalition would welcome much of what MA claims would result from another large new hangar, but the evidence and the legal context do not support their claims and leaves us fearful of the true impacts.
Sincerely,
George Klein
Steering Committee Chairperson
Coalition to Prevent Westchester Airport Expansion
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