News release from Bos Fair Skies Coalition

Town slated for fourth RNAV, a concentrated runway for increased plane pollution and noise

 With no public warning given to residents or local officials by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Massport, runway 4L that flies over Milton, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Dorchester could become a concentrated RNAV flight path as early as next week. It is scheduled to bring thousands of additional low flying flights per year, similar to the other RNAV flight paths that have burdened Milton for the last two years as the FAA sought to narrow flight paths instead of dispersing them over a wider geographic area.

The Community Advisory Committee president Sandra Kunz, who leads an organization of surrounding communities that works with the FAA and Massport, communicated that JetBlue had been conducting tests through this past September.

Per Massport’s data, Milton has seen over 40,000 arrival flights as of September 30 and the town is on trend to have the highest amount of arrivals in 2014 compared to the last few years.

Based on a conversation with Massport on October 28, “testing of the new 4L flight path is in progress and the runway is being prepared for more planes”. More so, Massport said, they have “no information of the exact date” of when the plane noise and pollution will increase in Milton and Hyde Park.

“There is still information that we don’t know, but what we have learned is concerning for the quality of life for West Milton and Hyde Park residents. We feel people should know that airplanes will fly over their homes for extended, unbroken periods of time similar to the other side of Milton,” said Sheryl Fleitman, co-chair of the BOS Fair Skies Coalition, Milton Chapter. “More so, the FAA and Massport have essentially kept thousands of residents in the dark. It further demonstrates the lack of concern for the health, safety, and property values of our citizens.”

RNAVs are flight paths in which planes fly over the same neighborhoods, schools and parks. Most of arrival flights over Milton generally fly under 3,000 feet. According to recent studies, invisible toxic chemical pollutants, particulates, and known carcinogens (benzene, formaldehyde) emitted at this level tend to remain in the air we breathe. These emissions become lodged in the lungs; the smaller particles are thought to pass through the lungs directly into the blood stream causing significant health problems.

Citizens are encouraged to voice their concerns to local, state and federal officials along with FAA and Massport decision makers to find solutions of alleviating further plane pollution and noise in Milton, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Dorchester. A list of contacts can be found on BOS Fair Skies Coalition’s website at www.bosfairskies.com.

Here is the scheduled map for the new concentrated flight path 4L along with the existing 4R runway.