Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) led a letter sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio with 20 other leading New York officials about the unregulated tourist helicopter traffic over New York City and New Jersey.

“We are concerned about the safety implications of unregulated tourist helicopter flights, as well as the helicopters’ impact on quality of life in neighborhoods in both States that experience take-offs and landings or heavy flyover helicopter traffic,” the officials wrote. “To address these real quality of life issues of residents of New York and New Jersey and to protect the safety of helicopter users we urge you to eliminate all tourist flights and traffic from the City owned Downtown Heliport as soon as possible. The status quo of largely unregulated flights that endanger tourists and disturb the peace in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island and New Jersey neighborhoods is unacceptable.”

The signers include Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (NY-7), Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, NYS Senator Velmanette Montgomery, NYS Senator Diane Savino, NYS Senator Daniel Squadron, NYS Senator Herman D. Farrell, Jr., New York State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, NYS Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, NYS Assemblywoman Joan Millman, NYS Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz, NYS Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, NYS Assemblyman Margaret Chin, New York City Councilman Corey Johnson, NYC Councilman Steve Levin, NYC Councilman Mark Levine, NYC Councilman Carlos Menchaca, and NYC Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal.

This letter was sent in addition to a letter sent to the Federal Aviation Administration and New Jersey Department of Transportation by New Jersey officials, including Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Congressman Albio Sires (NJ-8). Their letter also expressed concerns about the issue of tour helicopter traffic in the northern New Jersey-New York City airspace.

“For months, we’ve been talking with stakeholders, convening roundtable discussions, and trying to take steps towards a rational way to deal with these helicopters, but the time for talk is long over,” said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).  “It is time for the  FAA to use any-and-every tool they have to shut down these helicopters and put an end to this problem, and if they don’t have the tools they need, then we will do all we can to make sure they have them.” 

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