Marblehead, Swampscott Can Make Voices Heard On Logan Noise

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynn and Nahant residents concerned about increased air traffic and jet noise under proposed Logan Airport flight pattern changes can have their voices heard at an upcoming Massport virtual forum.

The forum is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 23 and will address the Boston Logan RNAV Study and Block 2 recommendations. The session will be available on Zoom here.

The MIT team that produced the study along with MassPort and the Federal Aviation Administration will lead the presentation and be present to answer questions and field comments from the public. Representatives from MassPort and the FAA will also be available to answer questions.

Swampscott town officials last month sent a letter to Massport expressing their concern that the changes will adversely affect residents just north of Boston if more planes are rerouted over the coastal communities.

Town officials said the rerouted flights would be especially disruptive in the evening hours under the proposal they said "results in thousands of negatively impacted residents and visitors in Swampscott and other communities."

"If noise reduction is the goal, it is troubling to us that the proposal does not redirect flights further over the ocean and limit the impact to residential and recreational areas," the Swampscott Select Board said in the letter. "Thus, while we understand the efforts to disperse flights and achieve a more equitable noise distribution, we oppose the current proposal and recommendations for Runway 22L."

While acknowledging the study will undergo several reviews prior to implementation, including an environmental review, town officials requested a "quality-of-life review" also be done when it comes to the impact on Swampscott residents, and those in neighboring communities.

MassPort said anyone with questions regarding the virtual presentation can contact the authority at community@massport.com.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: Swampscott Officials Sound Off On Proposed New Logan Flight Plans