East Haven Mayor 'Alarmed' Over Tweed Expansion Plans

A statement from East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. regarding New Haven’s plans to move forward with expansion of the runway at Tweed Airport.

“Once again, I find it alarming that local and national legislators are planning to meet with the Federal Aviation Administration to lobby for monies to pave the runway safety areas when doing so is in direct and clear violation of C.G.S. Sec. 15-120j(c) and the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding among the Town of East Haven, City of New Haven, and the Tweed Airport Authority. It is equally alarming that East Haven was not made aware of this potential meeting prior to the publication of today’s article in the New Haven Register.

As I have stated previously, the Town of East Haven appreciates that Tweed Airport is a valuable regional resource. However, the airport’s operations must be balanced with the interests of the residents in New Haven and East Haven who live in the vicinity of the airport and who have legitimate quality of life concerns about the operation and potential expansion of the airport.

In my July, 2014 letter to the Tweed Airport Authority and to Mayor Harp, I stressed that talks regarding the airport must be both collaborative and inclusive. Despite my call for cooperation, it appears that the New Haven legislative delegation and the Airport Authority are continuing to persist in excluding East Haven from substantively participating in talks regarding future of the airport. As a result, if the Town of East Haven is not afforded a more meaningful place in this negotiation process, I will authorize counsel for the Town to pursue any and all legal remedies to protect the Town’s interests with regard to any plans to expand the airport.”

Here is why the Mayor is upset:

East Haven officials may be happy for now, but will it last, that is the key question.

Tweed New Haven Regional Airport’s bid to expand the runway is on hold for now, reports Mark Zaretsky, of the New Haven Register.

At issue, is who will pay for it, as the federal government says it doesn’t have the money right now.

New Haven officials want to expand the runway to make it more attractive for more air service, the Register reports.

But East Haven officials oppose the move saying runway expansion is not possible per an agreement between East Haven and New Haven.

From the Register’s article, it appears New Haven and Tweed officials are still seeking to expand the runway.