PRINTER'S NO. 4202
No. 635 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY STEIL, McILHINNEY, DiGIROLAMO, REINARD, WRIGHT AND
CLYMER, NOVEMBER 16, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
NOVEMBER 16, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the County of Mercer, State of New Jersey, to undertake
2 an environmental impact study prior to approval of any
3 expansion of the Trenton-Mercer Airport in Mercer County, New
4 Jersey, and to take action to mitigate air traffic over Bucks
5 County, Pennsylvania.
6 WHEREAS, The County of Mercer, State of New Jersey, has
7 received Federal grants-in-aid for the Environmental Assessment
8 (EA) of the Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN) to consider the
9 environmental and socioeconomic impacts of terminal expansion
10 (expansion of existing terminal or new terminal facility),
11 expansion and relocation of existing taxiway facilities,
12 erection of long-term parking lot and snow removal equipment
13 storage building; and
14 WHEREAS, The County of Mercer, State of New Jersey, has
15 retained the services of Frederic R. Harris, Inc., to conduct
16 the EA according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
17 standards pursuant to the requirements set forth by the National
18 Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which will result in either a
19 finding of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Finding of No
1 Significant Impact (FONSI); and
2 WHEREAS, Among the announced purposes for the proposed
3 expansion of TTN is the attraction of commercial turbojet
4 commuter service, which will result in significant adverse
5 environmental and socioeconomic impacts to Bucks County,
6 Pennsylvania; and
7 WHEREAS, The past and present levels of TTN aircraft
8 operations have aroused intense public concerns and opposition
9 among Bucks County citizens concerning the environmental,
10 health, safety and economic impacts associated with turbojet
11 aircraft operations; and
12 WHEREAS, The design and operations of TTN are configured in a
13 manner which significantly impacts established communities
14 located outside New Jersey state boundaries without the benefit
15 of local representation; and
16 WHEREAS, The EA currently in progress may be inadequate to
17 properly address the secondary environmental and socioeconomic
18 impacts to Bucks County from the cumulative impact of all past,
19 present, proposed and foreseeable TTN actions; and
20 WHEREAS, The previous EA of TTN to address the secondary
21 environmental and socioeconomic impacts to Bucks County,
22 Pennsylvania, from past runway extension and the introduction of
23 scheduled passenger turbojet service was neglected; and
24 WHEREAS, TTN appears unable to properly mitigate their
25 present levels of air traffic over Bucks County, Pennsylvania;
26 and
27 WHEREAS, Bucks County citizens have been omitted from the
28 planning process of TTN's present noise abatement program; and
29 WHEREAS, Concerned Bucks County citizens have not been
30 permitted participation in the Trenton-Mercer Airport Advisory
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1 Council; therefore be it
2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
3 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the County of Mercer, State of
4 New Jersey, to undertake an environmental impact study to
5 adequately address the secondary environmental and socioeconomic
6 impacts that will result from the cumulative impact of past,
7 present, proposed and foreseeable TTN actions; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the County
9 of Mercer, State of New Jersey, to take immediate action,
10 including, but not limited to, development and implementation of
11 an enforceable noise abatement program, to properly mitigate TTN
12 air traffic over Bucks County, Pennsylvania, prior to pursuing
13 any form of expansion.
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