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Jet traffic at Hanscom Field is increasing at 21% per year which
will lead to a 2.6 times increase in the next 5 years
Night flights at Hanscom Field have doubled in the last 3
years.
Today 18,000 acres or 5% of the four towns surrounding
Hanscom are significantly impacted by airport noise according to
EPA standards; in 20 years every acre and every landmark in
these towns will be impacted.
Massport says the communities and historic organizations have no legal right to
participate in planning the growth of air traffic and noise at
Hanscom Field.
The recently renovated 1.3 mile long main runway is rated to handle
the worlds largest aircraft.
Concord Center, Rt 2A and Rt 2 are major access routes for
Hanscom automotive traffic. These historic areas don’t need any more
traffic.
A report prepared by Massport concluded that increasing the
output of carcinogenic Volatile Organic Compounds from Hanscom
Field by 280% would have a “negligible” impact on the
communities and historic sites
A recent Boston Globe article disclosed Massport’s plans to
double the hangar space at Hanscom in the next 18
months.
Massport says Hanscom is already “New England’s busiest
general aviation airport”. This airport is already carrying
its
share of the load.
Former Governor Weld issued an executive order requiring
State Agencies to incorporate local land-use plans into their
growth plans, but Massport has declared themselves exempt
from this order.
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Use of your own land is limited by many local zoning and
environmental regulations, but Massport has declared that
they are exempt from these regulations.
There are already three SuperFund pollution sites at Hanscom
Field and spills of Jet fuel and Hydraulic Fluid are
considered an unfortunate but inevitable part of airport
operations
In a recent Globe article one of Massport’s own directors
described Massport as “a public agency that has lost its sense
of mission, confused its priorities, and forgotten the public it
is supposed to serve” (Frederick Salvucci, June 19, p.
15)
Hanscom is already known by pilots for its air traffic
congestion. Further congestion means more circling aircraft,
more danger, more noise over the historic sites, and more pollution.
A recent Bank Boston / MIT study found that the primary
reason why the High-Tech companies that drive the local economy
locate in Massachusetts is the local quality of life and
environment. Massport is not required to consider damage to
this in their planning process.
The four towns surrounding Hanscom have embarked on a joint
planning effort to determine what kind of development is
necessary or acceptable, but Massport has stated that they have
no intention of adhering to our local plans. We must demand
that Massport not be allowed to override our local plans for the
future of our towns
Massport’s own analysis of the economic benefit of Hanscom
Field to the local communities shows that it provides a benefit
equal to that of a small software company, yet its
environmental impact is orders of magnitude greater
Massport’s Charter as established by the Legislature gives
them broad powers to override local laws with no checks and
balances
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