Zeldin Says Sen. Chuck Schumer's 'Political Pressure' Behind FAA's Move to Extend North Shore Helicopter Route 4 Years

Rep. Lee Zeldin and local elected officials were seeing red Monday after a meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration left them with eyes wide open, they said, about why the controversial North Shore helicopter route was extended for an additional four years.

Zeldin, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was joined by Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter, Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, Riverhead Town Council members Tim Hubbard and Jodi Giglio, and community advocates at Riverhead Town Hall to provide an update following a meeting with the FAA regarding North Fork aircraft noise and the North Shore Route.

The meeting took place today at Long Island Macarthur Airport in Islip.

And at the meeting, Zeldin said, Kenneth Heard of the FAA told the group that it was "political pressure" from New York State Senator Chuck Schumer that led to the four-year extension, with no public input.

Heard did not immediately respond to a call and email requesting comment Monday.

"Senator Schumer has long supported and fought for an all-over-water North Shore helicopter route that extends the current route past Orient Point and around Plum Island, as well as the establishment of an all-over-water south shore route," said Marisa Kaufman, spokesman for Schumer in a statement after the public meeting. "He strongly urged the FAA to expand the current north shore route to help the thousands of East End residents who are continuously burdened by the constant drone of helicopter noise. He will continue to side with concerned residents to ensure their voices are heard.”

When asked how he'd respond to the charge that he was the source of "political pressure" to extend the North Shore route, Kaufman did not immediately respond.

At the public Town Hall meeting, Zeldin began by briefing the public on the developments on July 23, when, despite public outcry, the "FAA quietly announced a four year extension of the North Shore Route against the will of the people and without a transparent process or public comment period; an unacceptable example of incompetence and arrogance on the part of faceless, unelected and unaccountable federal bureaucrats."

After years of residents expressing concerns over quality of life issues sparked by persistent helicopter noise, Zeldin said he and the town supervisors urged the FAA to mandate that the North Shore Route extend past and around Orient Point and for the hold to be lifted on creating a mandatory South Shore Route.

"The FAA and Department of Transportation have sole jurisdiction over the aircraft routes and it is incumbent upon these federal agencies to handle this power with responsibility and responsiveness to the public," Zeldin said.

In addition, Zeldin said, the FAA should enforce the local level strict flight standards and offshore requirements for aircraft bound for the East End to help mitigate disruptive noise.

Last October, Zeldin said he told an FAA Administrator Michael Huerta that the North Shore route should be extended for no longer than one year, with an extensive strengthening of altitude requirements and enforcement of flight standards, "and a true all water route over the Atlantic Ocean as the permanent solution. Calls of the public and their representatives have been flatly ignored," he said.

"The FAA is treating the American public as if it is the enemy. This conduct is absurd and unacceptable, and it must be reformed," Zeldin said.

All options remain on the table to stop this destructive ruling, including possible litigation from the Town of Southold and "legislation that would cut off any FAA funding to implement it," Zeldin said.

In 2015, Zeldin reminded, the FAA was threatening to take negative action against the Town of East Hampton for the enactment of aircraft noise restrictions. "I then got a legislative proposal passed in the House to protect East Hampton against retaliation by the FAA. I am willing to pursue any option necessary to get this resolved. North Fork residents cannot afford to have yet another season ruined by disruptive noise. This is an important quality of life concern that must be resolved immediately.”

Zeldin said the FAA representatives at the meeting were "honest" about the lack of transparency thus far.

The congressman said he was "disturbed" to learn about the decision to extend the route on a Saturday, with enactment Monday, and no time for public comment or input from local elected officials — when Schumer had known about the plans for at least 30 days.

Zeldin said the FAA's reasoning for extending the route four years was to give the FAA time to complete studies "that should have been completed a long time ago."

He said he found it troublesome that the FAA found it "equitable and acceptable" for aircraft to travel across the North Fork when heading to the South Fork. "What is equitable and acceptable is for that traffic headed for the South Fork to travel south, over the Atlantic Ocean. There's no need for all of this traffic to be flying over the North Shore."

"Disturbing news"

The congressman said it was "uncomfortable" for the elected officials at the meeting to hear "the disturbing news" that was taking place between the FAA's Washington, DC offices and a "New York senior Senator."

In addition, Zeldin said, representatives from the FAA's DC office said they had not heard from anyone complaining about helicopter noise, "even though we had the letters and dozens of emails there, with us."

The FAA, Zeldin said, finds it "equitable and acceptable" for aircraft to fly over the North Fork. "It's important for the FAA to hear the complaints of the North Shore residents and to reassess the definition of equitable and acceptable."

Facing the public, Zeldin said, of the FAA meeting, "I wish I could report back and say that the FAA is listening to the concerns of the North Shore. That might be what residents want to hear," he said, but he could not say that was true.

Still, Zeldin said at least the meeting was "honest and candid — and constructive" in finding out some truths. "They must change course," he said. "It's not too late. They must hear the calls of the elected officials and the concerned community."

Supervisors speak out

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said it's time for "peaceable protest", to get the attention of Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "If Senator Gillibrand was standing right next to me, I could not identify her," he said. "They're not paying attention."

Zeldin lauded Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell's firsthand knowledge of the situation.

Russell thanked Zeldin for orchestrating the meeting with the FAA. "The answers angered me, but we did get answers," he said. In the past, Russell said, there were only "blank stares."

At the meeting, Russell said the decision to extend the North Shore route was made without public input. "They told us they had made up their minds weeks in advance, that it was a result of political pressure." In addition, Russell said, the FAA admitted they hadn't done studies in 2012, and they hadn't done studies before making the decision again in July to extend the route for four more years. "They admitted they didn't do the requisite studies," he said. "But they say they're doing the study now."

Russell said that response from the FAA reflects an "uneven approach to protect the interests" of the South Shore.

He added, "I want Senator Schumer to come clean and admit he wasn't honest with the public." While Russell said Schumer still has the chance to do the right thing and listen to the pleas of his constituents, he added, "I"m not holding my breath."

After the meeting, Russell added, "Sen. Schumer's underhanded, clandestine effort to sell out the North Fork comes as no surprise. An entire FAA agency crumbling to his political pressure is atrocious. And people wonder why there's no respect for the 'faceless bureaucrats' we hear about all of the time."

Russell said he has "no intention" of calling Sen. Schumer. "He's an attention-starved empty suit and a dishonest one, at that."

Russell said he looks forward to future discussions and "leaving no stone unturned", with routes around Plum Island and on the South Shore an immediate goal.

"I don't know what the best next step is but I did discuss it with our counsel, Jim Harmon, and he will outline our legal options, if any. The FAA representatives showed no interest in discussing alternative routes. So, we won't realistically see them established any time soon."

The meeting, he said, gave insight. "The FAA was forced to be candid with Rep. Zeldin in the room, with him asking some of the questions. The FAA representatives would have been foolish to try to ignore his, or our, demands for answers. This is particularly true when one considers that the FAA is dependent on representatives like Rep Zeldin to be funded each year. This was the first time the FAA has provided any answers of substance so, the meeting was at least productive to that end."

Riverhead Town Councilman Timothy Hubbard said it was time for action. "It's time to take a stand."

Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski said while the news of the meeting was "disappointing," it was "not a surprise." He thanked the public for making their voices heard.

Southold Town Councilman Bob Ghosio said he was shocked to learn of the FAA's decision on a Saturday, just after attending a meeting on helicopter noise with Zeldin at the Peconic Rec Center. He asked why the route needed to be extended four years, and not six months, to complete the studies. "It was obvious to everyone in that room that something was up. It was clearly a political issue."

Zeldin said the decision to choose between a two and four-year extension was "political pressure."

Riverhead Councilwoman Jodi Giglio also spoke. "When the public cries out it's the job of elected officials to listen to your voices. Your voices have not been heard. Fortunately, you have elected officials on the local level that do care. This needs to stop."

Looking ahead, Zeldin said options include litigation, legislation, and a mandatory route around Orient Point and on the South Shore.

Towns can also petition the FAA, outlining good reasons why the routes should be changed, he said.

"It's also an option for the FAA Administrator to step down and be replaced by a new one, with a different culture in the FAA, and a different policy," Zeldin said.

Zeldin said all voices need to be heard, not just representatives from the community speaking for all.

"We're here today to let you know exactly what we experienced," Zeldin said. "We're not sugar coating anything. We're being brutally honest about the work ahead."

When asked why Schumer would have acted in such a way, Zeldin, who said he was blindsided by the actions from the senator, who had publicly stated his support for residents, had no answers. "The FAA is pro-aviation. Our entire country is pro-aviation. Maybe Senator Schumer is pro-aviation in a certain motivated way, as well. The FAA needs to find a better balance between pro-aviation and the impacts on the community."

After the meeting Teresa McCaskie, who has worked tirelessly on the issue for years and who sits on the Southold Town helicopter noise committee, said she was "disturbed beyond words" that Schumer and Gilibrand were not trying to help residents on the North Fork protect the "beautiful East End."

She was fighting back tears as she left the meeting.

Photo by Lisa Finn.