by Thomas Breen The New Haven independent
East Haven’s mayor on Wednesday took a key step towards potentially embracing — or at least tolerating — the expansion of Tweed New Haven Airport, after winning a state commitment to send the town tens of millions of dollars.
That deal was announced in a joint email press release sent out midday Wednesday by the City of New Haven, the Town of East Haven, Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority, and Avports, which is the private airport management company that runs Tweed’s day-to-day operations.
The press release reveals that these four parties have agreed to a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) and also to a “coordinated legislative proposal establishing a mutually agreed-upon pathway for the continued assessment of the proposed East Terminal project at Tweed New Haven Airport.”
The legislative proposal includes a flood of state funds that would head East Haven’s way if a new larger terminal winds up getting built on the East Haven side of the Morris Cove airport property.
To quote directly from a relevant portion of the email press release, “key framework elements” include:
- $40 million in state funding for public safety facilities in East Haven
- A statutorily protected annual payment in lieu of taxes (“PILOT”) of $4.4 million to East Haven and $2.9 million to New Haven, indexed to inflation
- An increase in East Haven’s existing PILOT under the state formula by approximately $1 million annually
- Dedicated state infrastructure funding of $5 million for each municipality for roadway, traffic safety, drainage, environmental, and other neighborhood improvements as directed by each municipality
- Provisions requiring enhanced approvals for future expansion, including runway length, capacity increases, and changes to access points
- Coordination with CT DOT regarding identified roadway and drainage concerns, including a commitment to advance planning and implementation of a remedial solution to address flooding conditions on Coe Avenue and Hemingway Avenue financed by the state
All of this comes as air traffic at Tweed’s current terminal in New Haven has increased significantly since 2021 with the advent of dozens of direct flights from the budget airlines Avelo and Breeze.
“While there are many additional steps moving forward,” Wednesday’s press release states, “the MOU provides a framework to address traffic, parking and environmental concerns and the provision of information, ongoing discussions, technical review, and coordination among the Parties.
“The legislative package outlines proposed state funding, infrastructure investment, and governance provisions, including an updated Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority Board composition of eight members appointed by New Haven and seven members appointed by East Haven, and new supermajority voting requirements for specified actions such as runway expansion, capacity increases, and changes to airport access.”
The press release includes quotes provided by New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Gov. Ned Lamon, airport authority Chairman Robert Reed, Avports CEO Marc Ricks, and — notably — East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora.
“Over time, through public engagement, regulatory review, continued dialogue, and the agreement to an MOU, we now have a clearer structure for how the proposed East Terminal Project will be evaluated and what standards will apply to mitigate impacts in East Haven,” Carfora is quoted as saying. “The proposed legislation is a crucial step in that process.”
Wednesday’s announcement does not include any explicit support by Carfora or the Town of East Haven for the construction of the long-planned new terminal on the East Haven side of the airport property.
However, it does mark a sea change from Carfora’s past public denunciations of the airport expansion project — which in turn marked a sea change from the East Haven mayor’s past public support of the airport expansion project.
The press release also makes clear that East Haven will not contest whatever decision is ultimately handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals, which is currently considering East Haven’s and Save the Sound’s appeal of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) December 2023 approval of Tweed’s plans to extend its runway and construct a larger terminal.
“The Town of East Haven will abide by the decision of the United States Court of Appeals, without any further appeals,” Wednesday’s press release states. “In this manner, the Parties intend to use the MOU and the Court decision on the current appeal of the FAA’s Finding of No Significant Impact as the defined path forward.”
It also makes clear that, if the terminal-construction project moves forward, it will have to be subject to Town of East Haven “local land use approval processes.”
Click here and here to read the MOU and legislative proposal in full, and click here to read Wednesday’s press release.
Even as New Haven city government has long supported the airport expansion project, some Morris Cove and East Haven neighbors have long voiced concerns about a larger airport’s impact on noise, traffic, and air pollution.
“This is a big moment for New Haven and East Haven,” Elicker is quoted as saying in Wednesday’s press release. He said he is “particularly grateful to Mayor Carfora for his collaborative and thoughtful approach that balances the benefits and impacts to both New Haven and East Haven.”
“I commend Mayors Elicker and Carfora for their leadership and collaborative approach working with Tweed New Haven Airport Authority and Avports, which demonstrates a powerful commitment to shared regional progress,” Lamont is quoted as saying in that same release. “My administration will continue working with all parties to develop this asset in a way that strengthens our economy, expands cultural connections, and creates new opportunities for communities across the region.”