By Fred Hanson
The town's Congressional representatives want residents dealing with constant airplane noise to have a seat at the table when it comes to discussing potential alternatives.
Earlier this month, officials of Massport -- operator of Logan Airport -- and the Federal Aviation Administration signed a memorandum of understanding to start the process of analyzing opportunities to reduce the noise through changes to the present, GPS-based flight paths. The current system results in plane after plane flying over the same areas.
In a letter Wednesday to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch and Michael Capuano, all Democrats from Massachusetts, called for increased community participation and outreach as part of this process.
"While we are pleased that the FAA and Massport recently signed a memorandum of understanding to address aircraft noise concerns at Logan International Airport, we are troubled to hear that stakeholders from the Town of Milton and other communities experiencing increased airplane noise were not part of the process," the letter stated.
Among the possible alternatives slated for preliminary study include having inbound and outbound planes fly at higher altitudes, increasing over-water operations, and using a curved approach path that would bring flights in along Boston Harbor and the Southeast Expressway
Massport spokesman Matthew Brelis said the proposals require several months of study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology "before there is the consensus to test things in the real world."
On Thursday, Milton officials and residents pleaded their case for noise relief at the Massport board of directors meeting for the second straight month.
Among the speakers were Selectmen Chairwoman Katie Conlon and State Rep. Walter Timilty, D-Milton.
Conlon thanked the board "for listening to town residents and officials' concerns about the number of flights over our town and look forward to continuing the dialogue with Massport and the FAA."
For the first nine months of 2016 year, 400 Milton residents have submitted a total of more than more than 15,000 noise complaints to Massport, more than the combined number for the next five communities. Hull was second with nearly 5,000 complaints.