May 17, 2001
There is a crisis in our towns. We have an airport on our borders run by a
state authority, Massport, that is out of control. We call upon the Massport
board, chaired by Lexington resident Mark Robinson, to stop their
destructive policies while there is still time.
Do not suppose for one minute that Hanscom can continue to expand at the
current reckless rate without serious, permanent, tragic consequences for
our towns, which are the custodians of the hallowed historic sites of the
birthplace of democracy, so precious to all Americans, that bring visitors
from all over the world.
William J. Fowler, president of the Massachusetts Historical Society, refers
to the battle of Lexington and Concord as the most famous battle in America'
s history. The sites that the federal government has spent many millions to
preserve for posterity are being bombarded by aviation noise and ground
traffic. The 1775 battle sites of Lexington and Concord are historic; today'
s battle to preserve them from Hanscom expansion is critical.
The facts are:
· Four new airlines are proposing to fly from Hanscom, in addition to
Shuttle America. Once an airline comes in it can expand operations with no
further approval. Shuttle America started with eight operations and quickly
doubled and tripled that number.
· Corporate aviation is booming - jets increased 26 percent last year, 111
percent in the last five years.
· Right now between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Hanscom averages 36 take-offs and
landings an hour, eight of which are noisy jets, turbo props, and
helicopters.
· Hanscom is the second busiest airport in New England, second only to
Logan. It has more operations than Manchester, Providence and Hartford.
Hanscom already handles a huge load of Greater Boston aviation, relieving
Logan of at least 128 large plane operations a day and 200,000 general
aviation operations a year. Without that relief Logan would be at gridlock.
Incredibly, the director and board of Massport are doing whatever they can
to grow the commercial and corporate side (read: noisy planes) of this
airport, despite years of promises that it would remain a general aviation
airport. Pouring millions of dollars into aviation upgrades and terminal and
parking improvements. Actively seeking airlines to come in. Now calling
Hanscom a regional airport, instead of " general aviation " or "
reliever "
airport. A big difference.
This is no place for a commercial airport. No one in their right minds would
place an airport here today, just as no one today would build an
international airport in Boston. Logan grew incrementally in the wrong place
and now the same agency that did that, Massport, is forcing another airport
in Greater Boston to grow incrementally in the wrong place.
In a position paper titled " Hanscom at the Crossroads, " three
Congressmen,
nine towns, and all of their state representatives and senators call for a
moratorium on commercial aviation, changes of use and new infrastructure
development at Hanscom until a long-range, regional, smart growth
transportation strategy can be developed, including all transportation
modes, not just aviation.
We call upon Mark Robinson and the board he leads to do the right thing,
heed the pleas of our collective elected officials, stop Massport's
enormously harmful piecemeal, short-sighted decision-making, and institute
the moratorium.
We call upon Mark Robinson and the board he leads to heed the words of a
foremost historian, Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for
Historic Preservation: " The historic places in the four towns surrounding
Hanscom Field are truly America's treasures. Every care must be taken to
protect them from degradation. The expansion of commercial air service from
Hanscom will have devastating effects. "
We call upon Mark Robinson and the board he leads to think of future
generations of Americans, to keep this a place where they can still come to
experience the magic of going back in time to the moment when courageous
citizens stood up for their rights, fired the " shot heard 'round the
world,
" and planted the seeds of democracy.
The Massport board could change its course. The Massport board could embrace
the call for a moratorium until comprehensive regional transportation
planning takes place. The Massport board could develop a policy that would
maintain an environmentally healthy balance between this airport and its
unique historic surroundings. The Massport board still has time to come to
their senses and be revered for their foresight instead of being reviled for
their stupidity. But just barely. The balance is tipping, and if Massport
doesn't change its course, the results will be tragic.
Submitted by ShhAir board members Gigi Estabrook, Leslie Fisher and Sarah
Lazarus. ShhAir stands for Safeguarding the Historic Hanscom Area's
Irreplaceable Resources.
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