New York state and city legislators said Friday that they plan to introduce legislation to permanently close New York City’s West 30th Street heliport (KJRA) in response to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s veto of the “Stop the Chop” act.
In a written statement, State Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-27) said, “I plan to redouble my efforts to limit chopper flights over our communities. I will be introducing legislation to amend the Hudson River Park Act to close the West 30th Street heliport in the Hudson River Park.
“I’m extremely disappointed by the governor’s veto of our Stop the Chop Act, the first major state legislative effort to address the ill-effects of helicopters,” he added. On Thursday, Hoylman released a study that claims an average of 165 helicopters fly over Manhattan each weekend, with half of those flights originating in New Jersey.
Separately, New York City council members already have introduced municipal legislation to limit helicopter flights over the city. Council member Gale Brewer’s bill would “prohibit sightseeing helicopters from taking off and landing at heliports owned by the city if those helicopters do not meet the Stage 1, 2, or 3 noise levels for helicopters as determined by the Federal Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990.”
