A Lengthy Island city lengthy rattled by airplane visitors out and in of John F. Kennedy Airport is suing for reduction as noise complaints soar about low-flying jets.
The city of Hempstead and three residents filed the authorized motion final week to attempt to pressure the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to replace maps that define noise impacts within the space — step one in assuaging the deafening airplane noise.
City residents and enterprise house owners have been “exposed to a daily barrage of noise and vibrations” most strikingly since 2022 when air journey to the Queens airport spiked, in accordance with the lawsuit.
Despite the fact that the commotion from the planes has notably jumped within the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, together with late at night time, present Noise Publicity Maps (NEMs) don’t replicate that actuality, attorneys for the city argued.
Between April 2024 and April 2025, there have been greater than 372,000 noise complaints for JFK Airport – a stark distinction to the greater than 142,000 grievances between December 2017 and December 2018, in accordance with the lawsuit.
The map issued by the PA solely embrace a handful of houses in Valley Stream and relies off a modeling situation, in accordance with the lawsuit.
City Lawyer John Maccarone mentioned in an announcement the city is “proud to stand against the overwhelming amount of flyovers” plaguing residents.
“We will continue to explore every avenue in the fight against this unlawful burden on the health and well-being of Town of Hempstead residents,” he mentioned.
Hempstead and North Hempstead filed a lawsuit in opposition to the Federal Aviation Administration over related issues in February, however that authorized problem was later tossed, in accordance with Newsday, which first reported on the brand new lawsuit.
Maccarone said the city would request a gathering with the federal company to keep away from additional litigation.
A lot of the issues heart round Runway 22L, the city argued. Whereas the Port Authority has claimed that the rise in utilization for that runway is just not a “permanent change,” the information exhibits in any other case, in accordance with the authorized motion.
“NEMs are important because they establish applicable noise contours around airports,” the lawsuit explains.
“Properties within application noise contours may be entitled to noise mitigation, including physical alterations to their properties and flight path modifications.”
A consultant for the PA mentioned the company doesn’t touch upon pending litigation.
