Bedford Minutman
Wednesday, July 9, 2003

FedEx flight to face fight
Opposition organizes

By Barbara Forster / Correspondent

Residents in the four Hanscom communities are taking on a giant in corporate
America: Federal Express.

Led by activist groups Safeguarding the Historic Hanscom Area's Irreplaceable Resources and Save Our Heritage, residents are in a "Stop FedEx" campaign designed to convince the cargo company not to set up shop at Hanscom Field.

"We have to pull out all the stops because this is a critical moment for the park and the communities," said Marty Pepper-Aisenberg, SOH Projects Director.

Margaret Coppe, president of ShhAir, agreed.

"We are concerned because once FedEx goes to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), there is no more regulatory action," she said. "There are moments like this that leave the gate open forever."

The FAA must approve a change in FedEx operating specifications to fly from Hanscom. Once FAA gives the OK, however, the cargo company can make flight changes without further federal approval.

Last month, Massport announced that FedEx wanted to begin service at the field in the fall; one flight before 11 p.m. five days a week.

About three weeks after the announcement, activists met to formulate strategy. A letter-writing campaign is already in the works. The process is a chain-letter approach starting in cyber space.

"The first step is to send e-mail to everyone you know and ask them to pass along the message," said Pepper-Aisenberg. "It works."

A sample letter, addresses, and phone numbers are included because the goal is to mail or fax letters or make phone calls.

"E-mail is invisible," Pepper-Aisenberg added.

Based on experiences by other groups, confidence is high that this campaign will succeed. Disney, for example, opted not to build a theme park near the Manassas Battlefield in Virginia. The campaign was started by a handful of people in Virginia who, as a single entity, were too small to be effective. But by reaching out across the country for help, explains Pepper-Aisenberg, "Disney received tens of thousands of letters and backed out because it was bad for [its] image."

Post-cards with similar messages have been printed and were distributed over the holiday weekend at Lincoln's Fourth of July Parade, at Picnic in the Park, and at the Old North Bridge parking lot.

"National parks have designated First Amendment activity sites," said Pepper-Aisenberg. "That's another place to reach out nationally."

The cards will also be available at table set-ups in various area locations throughout the summer.

Although the campaign is just getting under way, Pepper-Aisenberg reports that several area businesses have canceled accounts with FedEx, too. The cancellation notices included provisos that "if" FedEx withdraws plans to expand at Hanscom, the accounts will be reinstated.

Lexington resident and consultant Patrick Mehr is one of those businesses. Mehr, who owns Mehr & Co. in Lexington, said Tuesday he has canceled his Federal Express account until they decide to back out of Hanscom.

"I think it's outrageous that a major corporation that is supposed to be sensitive to important issues such as preservation of the environment would even think for a second to have a large ... cargo operation in the middle of Minute Man National Historical Park. It's completely irresponsible," he said.

Mehr drafted and mailed a letter to the CEO of FedEx, Frederick Smith, on July 1 telling him to cancel his business' account and urging him to avoid Hanscom as a location.

"I am appalled by your plans to operate at Hanscom Field. This airport is directly adjacent to Minute Man National Historical Park and only a short distance from Walden Woods and Pond, Orchard House, and hundreds of other irreplaceable American historic treasures. These places are the common heritage of all Americans and should not be damaged for the sake of business activities. FedEx freight trucks on the Battle Road, and FedEx jets over sensitive sites like Walden and the Old North Bridge, will have a profoundly harmful impact," he wrote.

Mehr said although he does not use FedEx more than about three times a month, he has options of using other companies such as Airborne Express, UPS or the USPS.

Not only has Mehr pulled his business from the corporate giant, he has also approached the selectmen and School Committee for their support. Mehr said he asked the selectmen to consider canceling town accounts with the company, as well as checking if it was legal to revoke permits for drop-boxes around town. He said he wants the other three Hanscom towns to do the same.

"I want to do whatever we can legally to cancel those permits," he said.

He said he is still boggled by why FedEx wants to use Hanscom.

"Who wants to put a cargo operation ... in the middle of where America started? It's crazy," he said.

"The issue isn't so much one flight; it's that FedEx trucks will go barreling through the heart of the park," said Pepper-Aisenberg.

"That traffic isn't good for the park ... if it goes there," said Kay Tiffany, Lexington resident and longtime member of ShhAir. "No matter where they go, it's terrible."

FedEx plans indicate that approximately 28 truckloads -- that includes loading and unloading -- will be used for the single flight.

Tiffany admitted the communities "don't like" commercial aviation or increased corporate activity, but overall, cargo is the "worst possible" type of aviation that could happen to Hanscom. "Cargo has big noisy planes and huge 18-wheeler trucks," she said.

Coppe said FedEx plans to meet with the various groups to discuss operation plans. ShhAir's meeting was Tuesday.

FedEx was invited to meet with the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission later this month.

Susan Bushey contributed to this report.

===========================
On Saturday, July 12, at 8 p.m., Minute Man National Historical Park will be one of several historical places hightlighted on the History Channel's hour-long documentary on "America's 11 Most Endangered Historical Places."

The documentary is based on designations issued annually by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The four Hanscom Field communities are included in the designation.

Host Roger Mudd interviewed Park Superintendent Nancy Nelson, Save Our Heritage Executive Director Anna Winter, and Massport CEO Craig Coy.

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