Letters

The dangerous low-altitude flight over Sag Harbor Village last week, by a local pilot “gone rogue,” exemplifies the dangers to which our communities are regularly exposed.

This was not the first dangerous flight from KHTO; another occurred a few years ago, over a very crowded Long Wharf, during Harborfest. And, two summers ago, there was a “near-miss” incident, involving a helicopter and a seaplane, over Bridgehampton homes.

But last week’s flight was certainly the most reckless and dangerous to date.

What could be one of the busiest nonessential aviation seasons ever is already off to a roaring start. All types of aircraft, operating at different speeds and maneuverability, many flying on visual flight rules (no instruments to guide or alert a pilot to nearby aircraft), are funneled into the same narrow and congested air corridors above our homes, every day, with this past Sunday’s traffic a good example of the torment to come.

The benefits of closing East Hampton Airport are obvious from a safety standpoint alone. The elimination of the sale of approx 900,000 gallons of toxic fuel sold at KHTO would be a huge plus, as would eliminating the widespread toxic emissions released over our area by 30,000 annual flights (in 2019).

Consider that the airport sits atop the deepest part of the sole-source aquifer, the precious source of all of our drinking water on the East End. Private water wells in the vicinity of the airport have already been contaminated by PFOs and PFOAs (aka “forever chemicals,” because they don’t break down), which were used or stored decades ago at the airport.

The health and safety of our families and our environment are far more important than a polluting facility profiting out-of-state operators and providing nonessential “private” travel for a few selfish people unruffled by the torment and harm their polluting journeys inflict on the health and well-being of so many.

For the benefit of the many, close the most polluting on the East End: KHTO, East Hampton Airport.

Patricia Currie

Noyac

Ms. Currie is a co-founder of the organization Say No To KHTO — Ed.