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Letter from Governor-Elect McGreevey

Executive Director's Note: Received signed on McGreevey campaign letterhead

August 29, 2001

Pamela Barsam-Brown, Executive Director

New Jersey Coalition Against Aircraft Noise

P.O. Box 554

Scotch Plains, NJ 07076

Dear Ms. Barsam-Brown,

For over a decade, many New Jersey communities have been exposed to intolerably high levels of aircraft noise resulting in a dramatic reduction in their quality of life. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the steps that I have already taken, and the steps that I plan to take as Governor, to reduce aircraft noise over New Jersey.

As a State Senator and as Mayor of Woodbridge, one of the communities effected by severe aircraft noise, I have long supported efforts to reduce aircraft noise.

  • I fully support the FAA's initiative to redesign the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania airspace and have written FAA Administrator Jane Garvey asking that as part of the FAA's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being prepared for the redesign, noise reduction must be a top priority.

  • I urged the FAA to conduct an extensive evaluation of the ocean routing plan as part of the EIS as well. In addition, I called on the FAA to examine noise impacts of each alternative using several noise metrics, not just the established yearly day-night average noise level (YDNL) metric.

As Governor, I pledge to you that I will do everything in my power to see to it that the FAA's airspace redesign results in a significant reduction in noise for New Jersey residents.

  • I will call on the FAA to implement interim plans to mitigate aircraft noise, since the new airspace redesign will not be implemented until 2005. These interim plans could include measures such as flying planes at higher altitudes and testing of ocean routing – clear of Shore towns – during low traffic hours.

  • I will continually monitor the redesign process through a Governor's Counsel.

  • I will closely coordinate with the Secretary of Transportation, the FAA Administrator, and our congressional delegation to further the goal of noise relief.

  • I will use the full resources of the state to ensure that the current airspace redesign results in significant aircraft noise relief for New Jersey.

I will be a strong advocate for bringing noise relief to New Jersey. I look forward to your support in my campaign for Governor.

With all my best wishes,

 

James E. McGreevey