New legislation could put the nail in the coffin of a proposal to expand private jet facilities at a Boston-area airport, but the developers aren't backing down.
What's happening?
As detailed by Energy News Network, the Massachusetts Port Authority issued a request to build "much-needed hangars" at Hanscom Field, an aviation facility around 20 miles from Boston that serves corporate and private aircraft.
However, the proposal stalled after state regulators refused the initial environmental impact report in 2021. Subsequently, state policymakers passed a law requiring agencies like the port authority to consider the impacts of planet-warming pollution in their proposals.
Nonetheless, the port authority could still continue with the Hanscom project, even though Energy News Network reports it could be subject to legal action if planners don't adequately weigh the pros against how much pollution the development would create.
Why is this important?
Opponents of the Hanscom Field project — set to add 500,000 square feet of hangar space — argue it would lead to an influx of private air travel, ultimately preventing the state from reaching its pollution-reduction goals. Moreover, such a plan would benefit only the wealthiest of clients.
Local social worker and advocate Alex Chatfield told Energy News Network that it is difficult to imagine a world in which an expansion benefits the community at large.
"This is an industry that is highly polluting and yet serves only a very narrow slice of the public," Chatfield said, pointing out how "private jets are the most polluting form of transportation per passenger ever devised." Chatfield added: 'It is on a scale that is really hard to imagine."
Indeed, per Transport & Environment, a mere 1% of the world's population produces over 50% of emissions from passenger air travel. Private jets by far are the biggest offenders, generating five to 14 times more pollution per passenger than commercial flights.
The World Health Organization warned that outdoor air pollution resulted in an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths in 2019 and that it is one of the biggest threats to children's health.
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Definitely 🥰 What's being done about this?
Per the report, Hanscom Field developers argued that the project would actually reduce harmful pollution because they'd build the hangars to LEED Gold standards — the most widely used green building rating system — ensuring they produce as much energy as they consume (a concept known as net zero).
They also suggested the new hangars would reduce air traffic from "ferry flights," in which planes fly to Hanscom and then transfer passengers to another airport.
However, state environmental regulators shot down this line of reasoning, citing a study indicating that the planners elevated ferry flight numbers. The analysis found that only 132 ferry flights moved through Hanscom, even though developers said that total was closer to 3,500.
As it stands, the state's robust commitment to more sustainable practices seems to be holding hangar development plans at bay.
"I hope that Massport appreciates that what is done today on climate is inadequate, and I hope it also appreciates that the policies have changed," Sen. Michael Barrett told Energy News Network in December. "I don't pretend to be able to predict particular outcomes on particular projects, but I do know that Massport needs to take this seriously."
Supporting policymakers who prioritize environmental commitments is one way to make your voice heard on matters like these.
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