Petitions Started to Ban Helicopter Noise on East End

Recently, two online petitions for state and local officials to ban helicopters flying over East End have been created.

The Southold Town Helicopter Committee started a petition on Change.org to send to the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the President of the United States, and East Hampton Town Board members.

Another petition was started on iPetition.com, to get the East Hampton Town Board to stop helicopter noise.

Helicopter noise, caused by helicopters flying to the East Hampton Airport in Wainscott, has been an nuisance to East End residents for the past few years now.

In 2012, new helicopter routes were implemented, sending flights over Noyac, Sag Harbor and portions of Water Mill and Bridgehampton.

Additionally, helicopters that fly over the water, either along the Atlantic Ocean, which is the southerly route, or over the Long Island Sound, which is the northerly route, crossing over the North Fork, affected residents in the area too.

This past August, it was reported that overall helicopter traffic increased 20 percent and helicopter traffic has increased 40 percent since 2013.

Southold Town formed in the committee in October in order to help the Town Board to develop strategies and propose solutions for addressing the helicopter noise over the North Fork.

“The North Fork of Long Island has been inundated with unwanted helicopter noise and pollution all to service a small number of Hamptons bound travelers,” the helicopter committee’s petition reads.

One of the problems was that the East Hampton Town Board was required to follow Federal Aviation Administration guidelines and restrictions because of several grants that was awarded to the town several years ago, according to 27east.

However, the Town and the FAA recently reached a compromise that the four FAA grants would expire on January 1, 2015, lifting the airport’s restrictions unless the town accepts any new grants from the FAA, 27east reports.

“Now that FAA control has lapsed, it is imperative that the East Hampton Town Board immediately return East Hampton Airport to its traditional and intended local use, and reclaim our precious peace and quiet for ourselves and wildlife, by imposing curfews and excluding helicopters and other noisiest aircraft types from using the airport,” the petition for East Hampton Town Board on iPetition.com reads.

Sign up for your local daily Patch newsletter and breaking news alerts here.

More on Patch:

• Dump Truck Smashes Through Smith Haven Mall Macy’s, ATM Stolen
• Huntington Woman Suing Airline After Arrest Over Seat Change
• Mourners Bid Farewell to Long Island Firefighter
• ‘Midnight on Main St.’ New Year’s Eve Celebration in Patchogue
• Editor’s Pick: 5k New Year’s Eve ‘DASH’ and Party
• Family New Year Celebration Set for Long Beach
• Cops to Boost DWI Patrols for New Year’s
• Police: Arrest Made in Fatal Shooting Outside Deer Park Strip Club
• Police ID Man Charged in N. Babylon Gas Station Robbery
• Police: Man Arrested For Falling Asleep, Refusing to Leave North Ferry Terminal