Boston Herald
Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Runway gets OK: Court ruling lifts '76 ban on new strip at Logan

By Robin Washington and Ellen J. Silberman

Superior Court judge cleared the way for a controversial new Logan International Airport runway yesterday, leading Massport officials to announce a spring groundbreaking for the strip despite pending lawsuits.

``I conclude the injunction should be modified,'' Superior Court Judge Margot Botsford said in her 43-page ruling on a suit by Massport against the cities of Boston and Chelsea asking to lift a 1976 expansion ban.

Massport Aviation Director Thomas Kinton praised the decision, saying the strip dubbed 14/32 will reduce delays by 30 percent, and as much as 90 percent on some high-wind days, when completed in 2006.

``We think this decision will remedy a longstanding structural defect of our airfield,'' he said.

Yet runway opponents - who cite potential increased air and noise pollution from the runway - decried the ruling.

``When you add a runway, you add capacity. When you add capacity, you're adding noise. It's as simple as that,''said Bill Manning of Communities Against Runway Expansion.

Fellow CARE member Mary Ellen Welch said decreased Logan travel since the Sept. 11 attacks has made the delay issue moot.

``The only delays are because of the security testing. They should put all that money into security to keep us all safe,'' she said.

Opponents also called Massport's building plans premature in the face of the two pending suits, including one challenging the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of the strip to be heard in a U.S. Appeals Court this month.

The other, an appeal of a suit by the town of Hull charging Massport with nuisance is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Judicial Court in January.

``Hull High School is just bombed with planes,'' said Ralph Dormitzer, co-chair of Massport's Community Advisory Committee.

Dovi Abbey, another advisory committee member, called it ``unwise'' for the agency to proceed before the cases have been resolved, saying, ``This would be a great opportunity for them to show good faith.''

Yet an appeal of the Boston and Chelsea case is less likely, with Mayor Thomas M. Menino expressing a resigned acceptance of Botsford's decision.

``I'd love to have won it,'' he said. ``We didn't block the runway completely (but) we still won an important environmental battle.''

Menino said he would work with Massport to make sure the runway has as little impact as possible on East Boston residents.

``We're going to be there. We're not going away,'' he said.

Some business groups supported the ruling, including the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts High Technology Council.

``It has never been in dispute that a new runway will boost the regional economy, but the Court also concluded that there will be a benefit to the neighborhoods around Logan as well,'' a council statement said.

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