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Council Member Amanda Farías discusses legislation to regulate helicopter flights from city-owned heliports
0:47:00
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125 sec
Council Member Amanda Farías presents legislation (Intro 26-A) aimed at regulating helicopter flights from city-owned heliports. The bill prohibits nonessential helicopter flights unless they meet stringent FAA noise standards, addressing issues of public safety, environmental equity, and urban planning.
- The legislation focuses on luxury sightseeing and commuter flights, which often use loud and outdated aircraft.
- It requires the Economic Development Corporation to track and report on flights exceeding noise standards.
- Farías emphasizes that this is climate policy, public health policy, and equity in action.
Amanda Farías
0:47:00
Thank you.
0:47:01
I'd like to take a moment to discuss my bill.
0:47:03
Today we're voting on legislation intro 26 a, a major step forward in public safety, environmental equity, and responsible urban planning.
0:47:10
Intro 26 prohibits nonessential helicopter flights from operating out of city owned heliports unless they meet the most stringent FAA noise standards known as stage three.
0:47:20
These restrictions apply to luxury sightseeing and commuter flights which often are and use the loudest most outdated aircrafts and which overwhelmingly fly over neighborhoods like Lower Manhattan and Queens and in Brooklyn.
0:47:33
And let's be clear, this is not about banning helicopters it's about modernizing policy to meet the moment.
0:47:39
A moment defined by urgent need to reduce emissions, protect public health and modernize for safety.
0:47:46
This bill uses the power we have, our city contracts and heliport permits, our noise code and jurisdiction to raise the bar on safety and sustainability.
0:47:54
Intro '26 puts into law a clear plan for stage three compliant helicopters to operate flights from our heliports.
0:48:02
It also requires the Economic Development Corporation to begin tracking and reporting on how many flights currently exceed these standards so we can hold operators accountable starting now.
0:48:11
We're making it clear that clean air and quiet skies are not luxuries, they are necessities.
0:48:17
This is climate policy, this is public health policy and this is equity in action.
0:48:23
Thank you to my colleagues in the council for supporting this legislation.
0:48:27
I'd like to shout out council members Brewer, Gennaro and Powers and to all of the community leaders, environmental advocates and residents who have spoken out for years about the impacts of helicopter noise and pollution.
0:48:37
Special thanks to Stop the Chop New York New Jersey who have championed this issue particularly from day one and a last thank you to NYC DC for their engagement throughout the entire process and to speaker Adams for your support and moving this legislation forward.
0:48:52
I urge my colleagues to vote yes to curbing noise pollution in New York City with introduction 26 and seeing no one else signed up to speak, report of special committees.