Hanscom Field Advisory Commission ~ Short Takes for November 2019

Hanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC) members met November 19^th to consider airfield matters of concern and hear Massport updates on monthly air noise, flight operations, current projects, and planned development.

Topics of special note included: 189 trees flagged by Massport for possible topping or removal in Bedford’s Jordan Conservation Area; Massport and FAA community relations initiatives; high noise levels registered by the Massport air noise monitor on DeAngelo Drive in Bedford; and the continuing backlog of unanswered air noise reports to Massport.

Massport Flags 189 Bedford Trees for Possible Topping or Removal

HFAC Commission and Bedford Select Board member Emily Mitchell asked Anthony Gallagher, Massport Community Relations, if he could update and clarify Massport’s plan to top or remove trees in and near the Town’s Jordan Conservation Area. Gallagher explained that to the best of his knowledge, the tree removal phase of Massport’s Vegetative Management Plan (VMP) was completed in previous years, and only trimming of forest trees would be required going forward.

However, Bedford Conservation Commission member Lori Eggert protested, “That’s not true,” adding, “189 trees have been flagged for management”. She explained that although most of those trees are deciduous, and most of the area pines have already been removed [by Massport in previous years], “it’s not true, for the record, that the tree removal is finished.”

A surprised Mitchell asked Gallagher, “I thought you were saying no more trees will be removed?” Gallagher assured her that he would have a more comprehensive update as planning continues. Mitchell then inquired if all of the forest trees flagged by Massport might not, in fact, be set to be topped or removed?

“I don’t know definitively one way or the other just yet,” Gallagher admitted, adding he hoped to have more concrete information in the next month.

When HFAC Chair Christopher Eliot asked the timing of the proposed tree topping/trimming/removal project, he was initially assured by another Massport staff member that it was unlikely the project would be carried out all at once next spring. Eggert clarified that if approved by the Conservation Commission, the work will be carried out this winter, while the ground is frozen.

During the Citizen Comment period, the question was raised why Massport representatives had said nothing at the previous HFAC meeting about 189 mature forest trees in Bedford being flagged for possible topping or girdling or removal this winter? It was pointed out that HFAC’s function to represent local communities’ interests to Massport requires HFAC to be fully informed by Massport of issues that impact residents and their towns.

Conservation Commission member Eggert agreed, adding that although her Commission can shape the type of forest growth control that is going to happen, “we also need citizen input and people who care to show up and encourage Massport not to destroy the forest, and try to keep it intact wherever possible.” Chair Eliot requested Gallagher carry that message back to Massport headquarters.

Gallagher was also asked if Massport will offer mitigation for topping or removing the 189 mature trees in the forest, some perhaps up to 100 years old, commensurate with the impact on appearance, noise insulation, and value as a natural resource for nearby neighborhoods and the Town as a whole? He said he could not think of an example when Massport had offered mitigation for its Logan Airport Vegetation Management Plan to either East Boston or Winthrop. Asked if Winthrop has a Town Forest like Bedford’s to be managed, Gallagher speculated, “At some point, I’m sure they had trees.” Chair Eliot suggested Gallagher take the question back to Massport headquarters.

Note: According to its website, to date, Massport has spent $170 million on air noise mitigation; $50 million on green space and park creation and maintenance; and $15 million for airport edge buffer parks – for Logan Airport area communities. Also, it has improved a 2-mile walking trail through Massport land near Hanscom Field, thereby linking a Bedford conservation land walking path to Virginia Road in Concord. (https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/about-logan/noise-abatement/ and https://www.massport.com/massport/community/initiatives/open-space-parks/)

Finally, Bedford resident Patty Dahlgren asked the Massport representatives if the forest trees have been maintained at a constant height limit through the years, and if the height limit is now being lowered in anticipation of planned North Airfield development projects and the expectation that nearby Air Force FamCamp land may revert to Massport in the future. Gallagher said he was uncertain, but will look into it.

Massport and FAA Community Relations Initiatives

Massport representatives shared information on several ways for community members to interact with aviation authorities:

Matthew Romero, Executive Director of the Massport Community Advisory Committee (CAC), was introduced to HFAC members. The former Director of Communications of the MWRA Advisory Board, Romero has been familiarizing himself with Massport operations at Logan, Worcester, and Hanscom Field during the past year since his appointment. Note: There are 35 member towns in the CAC. Bedford is represented by Board of Health Director, Heidi Porter. According to the CAC website (https://massportcac.org/about/), “The mission of the Massachusetts Port Authority Community Advisory Committee is to be the voice of communities impacted by Massport operations; we collaboratively offer local, regional, and national solutions through advocacy, information and Authority oversight.”
A demonstration was given on using the Massport Hanscom Field noise report website to file air noise complaints and to register other concerns or questions about aviation operations: (https://www.massport.com/hanscom-field/about-hanscom/airport-activity-monitor/hanscom-noise-complaints/).
Contact information was provided for the local FAA Flight Standards District Office: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/bos/contact/
Contact information for the FAA Aviation Noise Ombudsman was provided: (https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/noise_emissions/airport_aircraft_noise_issues/noise_ombudsman/). The FAA website states: “The FAA’s Aviation Noise Ombudsman serves as a public liaison for issues about aircraft noise questions or complaints.” Gallagher observed that this is a new FAA initiative, and he expects the Ombudsman’s role will likely increase in visibility and responsiveness as time goes on.

Monthly Air Noise Report

Noise disturbance reports were up from 82 in October 2018 to 237 in October 2019.

Interestingly, air noise monitors recorded small decreases in day/night noise level averages in decibels (DNL in dB) at the two sites on the airfield (Concord Site 31 down 1.2 dB, Bedford Site 32 down 0.4dB) but small increases at all four town monitors in Bedford (Site 34 up 1.7dB), Lexington (Site 35 up 0.5dB), Concord (Site 36 up 0.2dB), and Lincoln (Site 33 0.5dB), as compared to October of last year.

Goodspeed reported one day with DNL above 70 dB, recorded by the Site 34 monitor on DeAngelo Drive in Bedford on October 17^th. She confirmed that the high noise levels were linked to a “multitude” of night flights.

That particular Bedford noise monitor has averaged over 80 DNL dB (roughly 20 dB higher than the other 5 Massport noise monitors) for the year to date. At past HFAC meetings Goodspeed has attributed the extremely high recorded noise levels there to community noise from a chemical spill remediation project rather than aircraft noise. The current Massport Noise Report states, “Site 34 experienced noise due to emergency repair work beginning in June that continued into August regarding a chemical spill cleanup.”

Note: Calls by The Citizen to MassDEP, Bedford Fire Department, Bedford DPW, and the two companies located closest to the DeAngelo Drive noise monitor have not been able to verify that any chemical spill cleanup work was performed in the area during June, July, or August. A leak from a fallen transformer on DeAngelo Drive was discovered on Easter Sunday, April 21^st, but the spill was completely remediated during the following week, according to the Licensed Site Professional in charge of that cleanup operation.

A Bedford resident of the South Road neighborhood asked how she can be certain noise reports are being filed accurately since Massport has not sent any noise response letters for months. Goodspeed explained that the backlog of unanswered noise reports from the summer and fall is close to being eliminated. She believes it likely that all the tardy Massport response letters will be mailed out before the next HFAC meeting on December 17^th.

Hanscom Field Monthly Flight Operations

Massport reported 10,783 total flight operations in October 2019, an increase of 3.7% over the 10,398 flight operations in October 2018.

Daytime Air Traffic (7 am to 11 pm) for October 2019 compared to October 2018:

Local small aircraft touch and go practice flights down 0.5% (3242 from 3257)
Single piston engine aircraft flights up 10.6% (2149 to 2377)
Twin-piston engine aircraft flights up 32.4% (250 to 331)
Jets up 6.1% (3003 to 3187)
Helicopters up 3.0% (823 to 848)
Turboprops down 16.4% (734 from 878)
Military up 68.4% (38 to 64) Note: military flights routinely average less than 1% of the annual total flight operations at Hanscom Field

Nighttime Air Traffic (11 pm to 7 am) in October 2019, compared to October 2018:

General flight operations down 18.1% (227 from 277; 32 fee exemptions granted )

Note: Night fee exemptions are granted to Medflight, FAA, civil air patrol, and military aircraft, as well as aircraft delayed by weather, mechanical, or air traffic control issues. The fees are imposed by Massport to discourage optional night flight operations likely to cause sleep disturbances for residents of surrounding communities. Night flight fees collected at Hanscom Field for FY2018 totaled $813,743: https://www.massport.com/media/3115/state-of-hanscom-2018.pdf, Table 2, Page 7. The fees are paid into the Massport General Fund.
Massport Projects and Developments

Gallagher updated Commission members on several Massport initiatives, noting:

the East Ramp pavement repair project has been completed
the 2019 Vegetation Management Plan has been presented to local Conservation Commissions
the Signature Flight Support project to improve and update its existing “campus” is in the design and permitting phase; and
construction of electric vehicle charging stations at the Terminal parking lot may be pushed into 2020, because of the FAA grant funding process

Other News:
When asked if Aero Club of New England (ACONE) had recently moved to Hanscom Field, Commission member Thomas Hirsch, Hanscom Pilots Association representative, explained that ACONE has actually been in the area for some time. He added that it is a regional aviation social club that holds “fly-ins” at various airports, hosts flight safety seminars, and presents awards to high profile aviation industry leaders and pilots such as Frank Robinson (founder of Robinson Helicopter Company, Captain Al Haynes (one of the hero pilots of United Flight 232 during the 1989 crash-landing in Sioux City, Iowa), and more recently Harrison Ford (actor, pilot, and longtime aviation supporter and enthusiast). He explained that ACONE does not offer flying lessons or own airplanes, although some club members do own private aircraft.

Note: When contacted by The Citizen writer for further information, David Hampson, Vice President of ACONE, explained that the aero club has a new address at the Civil Air Terminal, but is not a new Hanscom Field tenant.

HFAC Website

To receive notice of future HFAC meetings and agendas, please register at the new HFAC website hosted by the Town of Lincoln: https://www.lincolntown.org/AgendaCenter/Hanscom-Field-Airport-Commission-58 (Note: residents who signed onto the site before October may need to unsubscribe and then re-register to receive meeting notices, as the website has been revised.)

Going forward, meeting minutes will be added to the website to increase accessibility for the public. Past HFAC meeting minutes and documents are currently archived in binders at the Civil Air Terminal and Logan Airport and require special permission from Massport authorities for citizens to view.

Next HFAC Meeting December 17, 2019

HFAC meets again on Tuesday, December 17^th, at 7 pm in Room 308 of the Civil Air Terminal, 200 Hanscom Drive, Bedford. Free parking is available at the Terminal lot. The meeting agenda includes a citizen comment period for the general public to ask questions or present matters of concern to the Commission. Residents of all communities impacted by Massport tenants’ operations at Hanscom Field are welcome to attend.