Lincoln Journal
Thursday, March 21, 2002

Bill could end Massport oversight of Hanscom Field

BY LAWRENCE PRUYNE
STAFF WRITER

Two Massachusetts senators hope to end the Massachusetts Port Authority's control of Laurence G. Hanscom Field. Sen. Robert Havern (D-Arlington) and Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln) are preparing to file a bill in the state Legislature that transfers the supervision of the airport to the Massachusetts Aeronautical Commission.

" The bill Senator Havern and I are filing, very soon, would take the control of Hanscom airport away from Massport and transfer it to the Massachusetts Aeronautical Commission. The Aeronautical Commission is an agency within the Executive Office of Transportation. Unlike Massport, it is a state agency, " Fargo said.

The legislation is still under review by Senate legal counsel and the fine points may change, but last Friday Fargo detailed the reasoning behind the bill: more local control.

" Massport has been so awful. I’ve been dealing with this for 20 years. They ’re arrogant… and they don’t listen to the communities, " Fargo said.

The Board of Selectmen in Bedford, however, don’t think the legislation is a good idea. Too many established agreements would be disrupted.

" It’s the wrong thing to do. At this time there are basic agreements to do with commercial airplanes, a maximum of 60 seats… and there are vegetation management plans in place, " said Sheldon Moll, the newly appointed chairman of the Board of Selectmen.

Selectman and former HATS member Mark Siegenthaler echoed Moll’s concern for preserving the regulations that safeguard area communities from unbridled aviation, which also include regulations against night landings.

" My initial concern is what happens to those Massport regulations that limit what happens at Hanscom… Those are critical regulations for protecting the communities, " Siegenthaler said.

Conflicts with Massport have been continuous and well documented. Three groups at the town government level have been formed including the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC), the Hanscom Area Town Selectmen (HATS) and the HATS environmental subcommittee. Save Our Heritage and other grassroots community groups have also been organized to force Massport to listen to community concerns.

Moll acknowledged the tension between Massport and the communities surrounding Hanscom. He also nodded to the relationship that has been established.

" Although there is a general distrust of Massport in the community, if it was turned over to the MAC we would have no control over the airport… At least there’s discourse with Massport, a dialogue, " Moll said.

A transfer of power, according to Fargo, would result in more control for Hanscom-area communities because Fargo and Havern sit on the committee that controls the purse strings of the Aeronautical Commission. Fargo also did not agree that any regulatory gains made by communities would be lost.

" I’m not sure that’s the case… We will be dealing with an agency that we have budgetary control over… It creates a great deal of sway. Sen. Havern is chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and I sit on the committee, and the committee has budgetary oversight over the MAC, " Fargo said.

Preliminary research failed to reassure Moll that the MAC would give greater consideration to environmental issues. According to Moll, the Aeronautical Commission has a greater ability to control vegetation removal on private property than Massport.

" Do our legislators believe that if the airport is turned over to the MAC that we would have any more control over flights and traffic? " he asked.

Siegenthaler also questioned whether Hanscom, if brought under control of the Legislature, would be any more responsive to the wishes of local communities.

" The Legislature can be in control of the funding and Hanscom may still not be all that responsive to the local communities. You don’t want to end up with Hanscom at the political will of the Legislature to the detriment of the local towns, " Siegenthaler said Tuesday.

Siegenthaler appreciated that members of the Senate were thinking creatively to solve the problems that exist. Fargo believes that at least the tension between residents and the airport should be addressed.

" This is an issue of significance in these communities. There are many people who are very upset with how Massport has dealt with them. We’re hoping to reverse some of that, " Fargo said on Friday.

The bill is in the early phases of the legislative process.

Currently under legal review, the bill must pass Senate counsel before it goes to the Senate clerk, who assigns a bill number to each piece of legislation filed. The draft is forwarded to a committee for discussion, after which public hearings will be scheduled.

" This is the first time we’ve had any legislation dealing with Massport. Right now they’ve got so much going on. They’ve got their hands full with Logan Airport. [So] this is the best opportunity we’ve had to explore some options, " Fargo said.

Moll, a retired entrepreneur, wondered who would assume a managerial role if the bill passes.

" The Mass. Aeronautical Commission doesn’t run airports. Airports are run by Massport or by private operators. [So] if Massport is out of the picture who’s going to run the airport? " he asked.

Siegenthaler also pointed out that independent agencies were created to reduce the workload of the legislature.

" The legislature can be in control of the funding. But that’s why the commonwealth created these independent agencies like Massport and the MWRA, because the legislature was unable to keep up " with the work, Siegenthaler said.

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