EAST HAVEN, Conn. — Tensions are high in East Haven over a Tweed Airport expansion plan.
Town officials and those with the environmental group Save the Sound are filing an appeal to have experts look further at the impacts of the expansion plans.
Residents in East Haven who are against the plan said they can smell the fumes from the planes in the air and are concerned about their health. The FAA approved the plan in December, saying that the expansion would have "no significant impact" on the environment, upsetting many of the neighbors in the area.
Sal Ferrara lives near Hemingway Avenue, right near the airport. Although the noise and the traffic are frustrating, he said his main concern is his family's health.
"They’re getting bigger and bigger, and the fumes are terrible," said Ferrara. "My wife has autoimmune issues, and it’s hard for her. We’re sitting in the backyard, and the fumes were so bad we had to go into the house."
The plan is to create a 70,000-square-foot terminal with a new entrance in East Haven and lengthen the runway. East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora and town leaders are appealing the decision from the FAA, demanding a more in-depth environmental impact study.
Save the Sound is also filing its own separate appeal.
"There’s going to be more flights, bigger planes, and more impacts to the neighborhood," said Roger Reynolds, the senior legal director with Save the Sound. Reynolds said that the original environmental assessment missed critical points. "We think it ignores the basic sciences, facts, and law."
Tweed Airport is aware of the appeal plans and said in part, “[...] The project will continue to advance during the legal part of the process. Design is well underway, and we will continue toward permitting.”
While the plans are flying forward, Reynolds said Save the Sound will continue to advocate for the neighborhood.
"We don’t go to court lightly," Reynolds said. "We do go to court when necessary."
Town officials said they are filing the appeal with help from legal experts and hope to complete the process in a timely manner.
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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