March 05-- Mar. 5--HARTFORD -- Supporters of Tweed New Haven Regional Airport braved the elements Monday to testify at the state Capitol in favor of a proposed bill that would remove a restriction on the length of Tweed's main runway.
About a dozen supporters led by interim New Haven Economic Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli, who represented Mayor Toni Harp, and Tweed New Haven Airport Authority Chairman John Picard made it up through the remnants of Monday morning's snowfall to testify at the General Assembly Transportation Committee hearing in the Legislative Office Building.
"What we're asking you is to allow us to pave the land that we already own," while staying within the airport's existing boundaries, said Picard. "For a state that is already badly in need of additional growth, this is one of the easier decision."
Tweed could reduce its city and state subsidies and "save you money ... if you allow us to grow," Picard said.
Tweed interim Executive Director Matthew Hoey, first selectman of Guilford, said Tweed "is not expanding the airport" or "extending the runway ... The proposal is to pave the existing (unpaved) runway safety areas."
He said, in response to questions, that Tweed "already has a commitment" from Allegiant Air, which would begin service at Tweed were Tweed to lengthen its 5,600-foot main runway to at least 6,000 feet.
Tweed is looking to add 600 feet, which would give it 6,200 feet, Hoey said.
Tweed officials also have had conversations with American Airlines, United, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and Frontier about possible future service, he said.
A state statute passed in 2009, based on a settlement between former New Haven Mayor John DeSteftano Jr. and former East Haven Mayor April Capone, bars Tweed from lengthening the runway even if it remains within existing airport boundaries.
Tweed currently is served by one airline, American Eagle, which flies regional jets between Tweed and two destinations: Philadelphia and Charlotte. The airport also is in federal court with the state to try to overturn the statute that limits the runway's length, currently awaiting a decision.
Speakers Monday included representatives of the city, the airport authority, Yale University, Yale New Haven Health, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale and area biotechnology companies.
While there is opposition to the "raised" bill among Tweed's immediate neighbors and others, no one testified Monday against the bill.
Committee Co-Chairman state Rep. Roland Lemar, D-New Haven, said he was extending the deadline to submit written testimony until March 25. Anyone caring to do so can email testimony to [email protected].
Piscitelli told the committee, led by Lemar and state Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, that more than 60 percent of the travelers within Tweed's primary market area "actually use Kennedy and LaGuardia" airports rather than Tweed or Bradley International airports.
Developing additional air service at Tweed would improve economic development both for Greater New Haven and the state, Piscitelli said.
State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Senate Minority Leader Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven, both have said the bill is unlikely to pass without a package of incentives or public improvements to address the concerns of airport neighbors in New Haven and East Haven.
Piscitelli said recent efforts to address those concerns included traffic calming measures on New Haven's East Shore, tidegate improvements and a project that ultimately will soundproof more than 180 homes near Tweed.
Committee members, including state Rep. Laura Devlin, R-Fairfield, and state Rep. Tami Zawistowski, R-East Granby, asked what a longer runway would allow Tweed to do.
While their questions dwelled on the size of the airplanes that might serve Tweed, Piscitelli and Tweed Authority Vice Chairman Gerald Weiner explained that the issue of runway length is more about how heavy a load commercial flights can carry.
In the past, Tweed has had issues with commercial flights that, in order to comply with federal weight restrictions, could not take off full in order to ensure they would have enough fuel to reach more distant destinations, such as Chicago.
A longer runway would allow planes to take off at less steep of an angle, which would burn less fuel, officials have said.
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