| Rep. Bryan R. Lentz 161st Legislative District Delaware County |
| Philadelphia Airport Updates | |
WelcomeMajor changes are being planned at the Philadelphia International Airport that will affect the residents of Delaware County In December 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration began implementation of a plan to redirect low-flying departures from Philadelphia International Airport over Delaware County. Philadelphia International Airport has also been planning to add additional runways to increase the number of flights at the airport. While plans are being made to expand Philadelphia International, there are many regional airports with ample but unused capacity. Last year, I introduced House Bill 1182, a proposal to create the Southeast Regional Airport Authority. This authority would coordinate the operations of Philadelphia International Airport and Lehigh Valley International Airport, along with other regional facilities and modes of transportation, to better manage the region’s air traffic. Latest NewsMeetings to be held on Capacity Enhancement PlanThe FAA recently announced that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Capacity Enhancement Program at Philadelphia International is going to be released at the end of September. The Capacity Enhancement Program is a plan to expand Philadelphia International Airport by adding additional runways. This is a separate project from the Airspace Redesign that was implemented in December 2007, but related to the overall plan to increase capacity at the airport. I remain opposed to the redesign and any expansion until we have fully explored greater utilization of existing capacity at underused regional airports. Enclosed is the latest information from the FAA regarding the release of the Draft EIS and the public meetings to be held in the Fall. Note that meetings will be held at the Tinicum School in Essington on the following dates:
Public Information Meeting: Monday, September 8, 2008, 6-9 pm Click Here for the latest Capacity Enhancement newsletter. Philadelphia International Airport holds noise meetings
Philadelphia International Airport held a series of five regional meetings in June as part of an ongoing noise study at the airport. Delaware County residents experiencing increased noise levels are encouraged to submit comments electronically or in person. For more information or to submit a comment online, visit the project website at: www.phlpart150update.com/index.html.
Rep. Lentz reviews noise study presentation Lentz Joins Planning Officials to Discuss Regional Airport Use
Rep. Lentz served as a guest panelist at the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance’s forum, “How to Capitalize on Our Region’s Airports,” Nov. 16, 2007. Joining Rep. Lentz, among others, is George Doughty, executive director of the Lehigh Valley International Airport, and Tom Belden, business and travel writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Click here to see the program from the event. |
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Update on FAA Airspace Redesign Rep. Lentz joins Delaware County officials at a news conference in Tinicum Township to announce a lawsuit to stop the FAA's airspace redesign plans. Last fall I met with Congressman Sestak, state Rep. Ron Raymond and members of County Council, so we could coordinate plans to stop the airspace redesign and better manage the airport’s growth in the future. County Council filed a lawsuit to block the airspace redesign, as have several communities in the New York City area affected by changing flight paths. I support these efforts, and will continue with long-range plans such as my proposal to create the Southeast Regional Airport Authority to better address the region’s transportation needs. |
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Lentz Seeks Greater Use of Regional FacilitiesClick Here to read my testimony from the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in Philadelphia on April 25, 2008. Click Here to see my testimony before the House Appropriations Committee, March 19, 2008. |
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UPDATE ON HOUSE BILL 1182
Proposal to Create the Southeast Regional Airport AuthorityClick Here for information on HB1182.Click here for a transcript of the hearing held by the House Transportation Committee on HB1182 in Ridley Township on July 23, 2007.Click the following links for video of the hearing:Part 1 of 3 In December, 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it was planning to redirect low-flying departures from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) over Delaware County. Since taking office in January, I have continually voiced my opposition to the increase in flights over Delaware County and the planned expansion of the airport (Click here to see my official comment on the airspace redesign). These plans will have a negative impact on our community, without any real improvement in flight delays. The true cost and impact of the airspace redesign has never fully been investigated by the FAA. Even with redirected flights and added runways, PHL will be unable to keep up with the anticipated increase in air traffic over the next 10 to 20 years. Many nearby airports have ample, unused capacity for commercial flights. I believe it is ill-advised to expand Philadelphia International and further burden the residents of Delaware County without fully exploring the greater use of the many existing regional airports and other modes of transportation. (Click here to read my letter to the editor on this issue). I have joined with neighboring legislators in asking that the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation undertake a formal study on expanding the use of existing regional airports. (Click here to see letter to Secretary Allen Biehler). Also, I recently introduced a bill in the House to establish a regional airport authority to coordinate the operation of airports in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This measure, HB1182, would help relieve overcrowded airports, while at the same time assisting underutilized airports gain more traffic. As a federal agency, the FAA can implement its plans for airspace redesign without approval of the Pennsylvania legislature. I will continue to fight to make sure that the concerns of our community are addressed before state funds are spent on expanding Philadelphia International Airport. (Click here to see my letter to the chairmen of the House Transportation and Appropriations committees). Official Links
Airspace Redesign: Click here to read about the FAA’s plans to redirect flights. News Links
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