EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A Long Island town plans to temporarily “deactivate” its airport in late February to reopen a new, publicly-owned, private-use facility, according to the town supervisor.
The new airport in East Hampton would operate under a “Prior Permission Required” (PPR) framework and would require aircrafts to have previously received permission to land in the town before using the facility.
“The PPR framework will allow the implementation and enforcement of use restrictions to limit airport traffic and noise, while also addressing safety, environmental, and other concerns,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc in a release.
“The parameters of the ‘Prior Permission Required’ program would be developed, presented to the public for discussion and comment, and set in place before the start of the summer season in May,” he added.
The East Hampton Town Board is scheduled to vote Thursday on the measure to deactivate the airport in Wainscott.
The move will come after decades of community complaints over the rising traffic at the airport, and increased noise.
“The majority of the public has indicated that allowing the airport to continue operating as it has been is unacceptable, and that traffic volume, noise, environmental, and safety concerns must be addressed,” Van Scoyoc said.
The new private-use facility will now be able to limit the types of aircrafts allowed to land in East Hampton and will set up restrictions based on time of day, noise level, type of operation and some environmental factors, such as the use of leaded aviation fuel.
The restrictions would prevent chartered jets, rented helicopters and rented seaplanes from landing at the facility, according to the New York Post.
A town spokesperson said plans to revitalize the airport have been in the works for years.
However, restrictions were unable to be enacted so long as the airport was receiving funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Since the town’s financial deal with the FAA ended in September, the debate over the airport’s future has been given new life.
While Thursday’s vote by the Town Board will officially deactivate the airport, long-term operation changes and restrictions in the PPR regulation are subjected to a review by the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
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