Dear STC friends and neighbors,
In case you are available and interested, I received the below Zoom invitation for this Monday’s 9:30 am Transit Topic Coffee Hour with NY Senator & Majority Leader Charles Schumer. RSVPs are required in advance. This is an ideal opportunity to email your questions and comments to the Senator about banning nonessential helicopters.
Apropos to this transit forum, you should be aware that Blade helicopter company recently announced plans to go public. Blade also plans to expand their commuter helicopter services to depart daily between Westchester County Airport and Manhattan in order to serve commuters from the Westchester/ CT area with a cost of $175 per flight per person.
“Stop the Chop NY/NJ” (STC) believes any increase in private commuter helicopters to the already noisy, polluted and busy NY metropolitan airspace is a bad idea. Improving green, public transportation infrastructure and services for all commuters, rather than simply for the wealthy 1 percent, should be the focus for the Biden Administration and Congress.
STC continues to support the federal legislation HR 4880 introduced by NY Congressmembers Maloney, Nadler, and Velasquez (banning nonessential helicopters over densely populated metropolitan areas like NYC) and we are asking Senator Schumer at this forum to support HR 4880 as well by introducing a companion bill in the Senate.
———————————————————————————————————————
INVITATION:
Please join a coalition of nonprofit groups at 9:30 AM this Monday, January 25 on Zoom for a Transit Coffee Hour With Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer.
RSVP today to reserve your spot and email your question/ comment as well! Registration is required in advance – sign up and you will receive a link to the Zoom webinar, which you can join by phone or computer.
This event is hosted by: The Riders Alliance, Straphangers Campaign, Transportation Alternatives, Regional Plan Association, New York League of Conservation Votes, Reinvent Albany, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and StreetsPac.
Register now to join the discussion with this link!
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1_hI-6kXQAOrIaMyBXHcTw
My question/ statement regarding the helicopter issue is below. Please use your own words, sharing your thoughts, experiences and concerns when drafting your questions to Senator Schumer.
”Will Senator Schumer support the federal legislation (introduced by Congressmembers Maloney, Nadler and Velasquez) seeking a ban on nonessential helicopters over NYC by introducing a companion bill in the Senate? Residents in NY and NJ are suffering from the endless excessive noise created by low flying, mostly unrestricted commuter and tourist helicopters. Helicopter traffic is unnecessary and dangerous and contributes to a continued reliance on fossil fuels as they use polluting jet fuel. This mode of transportation, which helicopter companies seek to expand, (and that’s geared towards the wealthy 1 percent or temporary tourists) detracts resources from what should be a green, public transportation expansion for all - better train service, electric buses with express lanes, safe and protected bike lanes, etc.”
Hope to see you on the Zoom!
Best,
Melissa Elstein - Coalition Organizer & Board Secretary Stop the Chop NY/NJ
www.stopthechopnynj.org