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Rye Brook Mayor Expresses Concern Over Proposed County Airport Agreement

RYE BROOK, N.Y. -- Rye Brook Mayor Paul S. Rosenberg is concerned about the impact of proposed legislation that would significantly modify the long-standing Airport Terminal Use Agreement at the Westchester County Airport.

Rye Brook town officials worry about the impact of proposed legislation to modify the Westchester Airport Terminal Use Agreement.

Rye Brook town officials worry about the impact of proposed legislation to modify the Westchester Airport Terminal Use Agreement.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The legislation would result in dramatic changes to this regional airport hub, Rosenberg said in a letter.

The proposed legislation would change the commercial passenger limit at the airport from 240 passengers per half hour to 11,520 passengers per day, according to Rosenberg.

"The concern is that this change may bring a significant increase in flights and passengers at the airport, especially at peak times throughout the day, which would have a significant impact on the region, not just in terms of air traffic but on other critical environmental areas of concern as well.

The mayor summarized the following in his letter:

In 2014, the airport had 1.5 million passengers.

At the proposed 11,520 passengers per day, the airport would have the flexibility to have 4.2 million passengers annually.

The county’s “voluntary curfew” period is midnight to 6:30 a.m., yet the 11,520 passenger per day figure includes 3,120 passengers that could potentially fly during this time period in developing the daily passenger maximum. This would result in more flights and passengers during peak time periods.

Approximately 65 days a year are considered “holiday periods” in the current airport agreement which have no restrictions on the number of passengers, so the proposed legislation is “not about added convenience” for holiday travel.

Click here to read the proposed legislation.

Click here to read the mayor's letter.

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