Letter To the Editor: Bedford Community Forum Sept 28 on Climate Impact of Private Jet Expansion

Submitted by Corinne Doud for Mothers Out Front, Bedford Chapter

Come to an important Bedford Community Forum this Thursday, Sept 28, 6:30-7:45 p.m., at the Bedford Town Hall. The speakers are Neil Rasmussen (President, Save Our Heritage), Emily Mitchell (Bedford Select Board), and Bill McKibben (Author, Educator, Environmentalist, via zoom). 

Massport and private developers are proposing to triple the hangar space at Hanscom Field Civil Airport (NOT at Hanscom Air Force Base) for the exclusive use of private luxury jets. If carried out, these plans will dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions and undermine municipal, state, and national climate goals at a time when climate scientists are urging us to accelerate these goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The speakers will present information on the proposed expansion and its impact on our climate and community, followed by opportunity for questions. RSVP here for both zoom or in-person. There was also a Bedford Citizen Article about it: Click here.

If the proposed expansion goes ahead, private jet emissions from Hanscom alone could cancel up to 70% of the climate benefits from all the solar PV (photovoltaic cells) ever installed in Massachusetts.

This event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Bedford, Mothers Out Front Bedford, and Third Act of Bedford, and co-sponsored by the Energy & Sustainability Committee of Bedford.