Bronx Council Amanda Farías who sponsored and handed Intro 26-A, a invoice that limits non-essential helicopter flights from metropolis owned heliports.
Picture William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit
The New York Metropolis Council on Thursday voted to cross a landmark invoice sponsored by Council Majority Chief Amanda Farías that may prohibit non-essential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports until they meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s strictest noise requirements.
The invoice’s passage comes simply two weeks after a lethal sightseeing helicopter crash alongside the Hudson River claimed six lives, reigniting requires higher oversight. The measure, which handed overwhelmingly, goals to curb the noise, emissions and security dangers lengthy related to non-essential helicopter site visitors.
“Intro 26-A is a commonsense step toward a safer, quieter, and more sustainable New York City,” mentioned Farías, who represents elements of the Bronx. “Non-essential helicopter traffic has long disrupted daily life for New Yorkers, especially those living under frequent flight paths. By passing this bill, we’re holding our city to a higher standard, one that prioritizes public safety, innovation, and community wellness.”
The brand new requirement shall be written into contracts between the town’s Financial Growth Company and heliport operators. It’s set to take impact in late 2029, giving operators time to transition to quieter and cleaner plane. Within the interim, EDC should report yearly on the share of flights that don’t meet the brand new requirements.
Whereas the town can’t regulate airspace, it does management its heliports, giving it leverage to push for change. Many older helicopter fashions used for sightseeing excursions are among the many loudest and most carbon-intensive, emitting as much as 950 kilos of carbon dioxide per hour — greater than 40 occasions the typical automotive.
The passage of Intro 26-A represents a serious victory for environmental advocates and residents in neighborhoods just like the South Bronx and Decrease Manhattan, which have lengthy borne the brunt of helicopter site visitors.
Together with the invoice’s passage, the Council additionally adopted companion resolutions urging additional motion. Decision 85-A, launched by Council Member James Gennaro, calls on the FAA to assist a nationwide transition to electrical helicopters. Decision 226-A and Decision 233-A, launched by Council Member Gale Brewer, name for stronger enforcement and transparency round helicopter operations and emissions.
Brewer mentioned it was “infuriating” that the town lacks direct authorized authority to control helicopter flights over its personal airspace. She emphasised that the resolutions handed Thursday name on each the state and federal governments to enact broader bans on non-essential helicopter journey over New York Metropolis, no matter origin or vacation spot.
