Zeldin Adds Amendments to Prevent FAA From Taking Action Against East Hampton

United States Representative Lee Zeldin recently announced that his amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2016 (HR 2577), which would prevent the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from taking negative action against East Hampton Town, passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday night.

The amendment will hold the FAA to it’s prior written commitment in 2012 to not take negative action against East Hampton Town for enacting noise restrictions.

Zeldin also added an amendment to the Transportation Appropriations Bill that would block the FAA from using funds to “institute an administrative or civil action against the sponsor (Town of East Hampton) of the East Hampton Airport,” according to East Hampton Town.

“Local control is the heart of the issue over East Hampton Airport and helicopter noise,” East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said. “Will the people of East Hampton, through their elected representatives, be able to reasonably regulate our municipal airport, or will the bureaucrats in Washington and the national aviation interest groups control it?”

Cantwell also said he hopes U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand will “follow suit and support adoption of this amendment in the U.S. Senate.”

The amendments come after the Town Board recently passed three laws to approve restrictions to the airport.