Latimer Speech Spells Out the Good News at Airport

• Appointment of new members to the County’s Airport Advisory Board, including three Coalition leaders, as well as County Legislator Nancy Barr, who has been a strong supporter
  
• Increased communication between the County administration and the Advisory Board – to which I can attest
  
• Three heavily attended Public Meetings on the airport (critical I think in the rest of what follows)
  
• Deployment of portable noise monitors, repair of monitors, and upgrading of related technology (though if this means the new noise report platform, that’s still very much a work in progress)
  
• Restoration of the airport groundwater testing program – for more on this come out for our press conference this coming Wednesday – click here for details
• Study on air quality and emissions around the airport (ongoing, I believe)
  
• Environmental upgrades, like conversion to electric vehicles and replacement of old boilers
  

The County Executive expressed satisfaction that overnight flights during the 12-6AM ‘voluntary curfew’ were down in 2018 after an “active outreach and education program” at the airport. The data paints a more nuanced picture. While overnight flights were down by 298, or about 8%, total flights were down by about 6%. Therefore, the rate of overnight flights decreased by only about 2%. We look forward to further initiatives and progress as the Airport Advisory Board takes up the matter.

We look for the County to build on the accomplishments of their first year. The Coalition stands ready to work together with Latimer toward our vision of a vibrant yet limited and environmentally responsible airport.  

Indeed, what impressed me the most were the words Latimer spoke at the start right after thanking everyone: “It has been a year of progress - significant progress - but still the realization that we have far to go. We are not yet satisfied. And we are not tired. …One thing that has struck me, over and over again, is the need - and the willingness - as residents to stick together and to work together.