Concord Journal
Thursday, April 28, 2005

Low turnout for Massport meeting
By Barbara Forster

A Massport-sponsored meeting about Hanscom Field set an attendance
record -- an all-time low one, that is. Only two people were at the Civil
Air Terminal on Tuesday, April 27 for a public information meeting about the
Environmental Status and Planning Report for Hanscom Field.

Tom Ennis of Massport said he was not surprised at the practically
nonexistent turnout.

"Logan had a similar thing happen," he said. "The document is widely
circulated and people have a better understanding of its purpose."

But area activists disagree.

"We're voting with our feet," said Sara Lazarus, spokesperson for
Safeguarding the Historic Hanscom Area's Irreplaceable Resources, noting the
strong involvement of the communities during the last environmental review.
"We showed it was a flawed document, raised valid objections, and yet very
little changed. If that's how it runs -- Massport holds open meetings,
people raise objections and concerns, nothing changes, and MEPA rubber
stamps it -- it's futile to waste our time being involved in that."

Save Our Heritage Executive Director Anna Winter has the same reaction.

"It's been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing
repeatedly and expecting different results," she said. "Having put
tremendous time and effort into the last ESPR only to find that it has no
impact on how Massport operates Hanscom Field, the only sane course is to
pursue a path that can yield meaningful results."

The group wants federal legislation to limit growth at the airport.

Another meeting, sponsored by the state, on the environmental review is
scheduled for Tuesday, May 3. The activists expect a similar turnout, or
lack thereof.

The state requires Massport to evaluate the cumulative effect of growth
and change at Hanscom every five years. The report includes data and
analyses of noise, ground transportation, and air and water quality.

--Those who came

"There were no surprises but I didn't expect there would be," said
Grady Wheaton of Lexington, who is on the Hanscom Air Field Advisory
Commission and the lone representative from the communities.

Joe Beggan of Beverly, a consultant who has previously worked for
Massport, was also on hand "to keep abreast" of the issues.

--Towns say 'no more'

Earlier this year, the Hanscom Area Towns Committee decided against
active participation in the environmental review process. For three previous
reports, the four towns hired consultants and relied on volunteers to review
and comment on Massport's work.

In a letter to the agency, HATS indicated they would "remain
essentially aloof" because continued participation with the report was not a
viable tool to help manage the impact of air traffic at the civil airport.

The letter further stated that "while the ESPR review process and
report has had some use as a draft plan for Massport expansion of the field
and has provided Massport's consultants' view of environmental impact, it
has not resulted in any meaningful and tangible controls."

At least one reason is that the Executive Office of Environmental
Affairs, which is "apparently reluctant to referee the process and its
result" has "neither the resources nor the mandate to effectively control
the environmental degradation that occurs as a result of ever increasing
civilian air traffic" at Hanscom Field.

Instead, HATS reps and area activists feel they may be better off to
work at "promoting improved regulation" versus perpetuating a "meaningless
exercise."

--What's in the report?

Massport's goal, according to Ennis, is to build upon the 2000 report.

"We feel that was a comprehensive document," he said. "There will be no
additional studies but there will be some changes."

Airport activity, for example, will be analyzed for two different
years, 2010 and 2020 in order to provide a range of activity.

The 12-chapter document will include data about facilities and
infrastructure, airport planning (ways to continue promoting Hanscom as a
"premier" general aviation airport), ground transportation, noise, air
quality, cultural and historical resources, sustainable development,
regional transportation (overall aviation activity in New England and how
Hanscom fits into the picture) as well as wetlands, wildlife and water
quality.

--Timetable

The 45-day comment period to MEPA about the scope ends May 23. Massport
expects to receive the certificate at the end of May or no later than the
beginning of June and file a draft of the document by April 2006. Four
technical workshops will be scheduled in May and June next year with a
MEPA-sponsored public hearing some time in June. Public comment ends on June
20, 2006.

The goal is to deliver the final report to the state in January 2007.

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