HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-11-16-HFAC-min RECEIVED
Hanscom Field Advisory Commission 2023 1 Jain, &A2 am
Minutes— 16 November 2022
Prepared by Massport Staff
Video of HFAC Meeting on the Lincoln,MA Live Streams Page: T
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• Call to Order: HFAC Chairman Christopher Eliot called the meeting to order at 7:07pm LEXINGTON
• Announcements:
• Chairman Eliot recording HFAC Meeting; all welcomed to 16 Nov meeting pursuant to MA Open Meeting Law
• Emily Mitchell reported Air Force Base Restoration Advisory Board's annual meeting is 7pm on Thursday 17 Nov
o Board goes through all of their environmental findings for past year at Bedford Town Center in the Flint Room
• Amber Goodspeed announced there is a Public Meeting on 28 Nov for the ESPR project scope
• Minutes: The October 2022 Meeting Minutes were reviewed for approval
The October 2022 Meeting Minutes were approved unanimously with the following amendments:
o Add identifying phrase "an online newsletter" after the Lincoln Squirrel reference in the Announcements section
o Margaret Coppe requested the reference for those unaware of the publication
• Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services
• Chairman Eliot asked Massport the two questions about Cargo and Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services
o Amber Goodspeed responded Massport has not been approached by heavy cargo or commercial scheduled
passenger service
• Agenda Items: Topics discussed on published agenda:
• Items for the ESPR Scoping Meeting were discussed by the HFAC
o Chairman Eliot drew up his recommendations and submitted for the HFAC to review and comment on
o HFAC members discussed requests introduced by Chairman Eliot
o Final copy of the version submitted to the MEPA site attached to the Minutes
• Monthly Noise Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the October Reports and noted that:
In October 2022 as compared to October 2021:
• 7am - l 1pm operations decreased 10.5%in October 2022
• Singles (including touch and goes) decreased 14.9%in October 2022
• Turbo activity decreased 12.4%in October 2022
• Jet operations decreased 3.9%in October 2022
• Helicopter activity decreased 1.1%in October 2022
• Night Operations (I Ipm-7am)increased from 233 in October 2021 to 262 in October 2022, a 12.4 %increase
• Calendar year operation totals decreased 5.3%when compared to pre-pandemic levels
• Capital Programs and Third Party Development Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the Capital Programs and
Third Parry Development reports and noted that:
• Construction ongoing on Signature Flight Support building; tentatively may open in January-February 2023
• The 2022 ESPR proposed scope is on MEPA and Massport websites
o Public meeting scheduled for 28 November via Zoom;public comment period on scoping closes 09 December
• The North Airfield Ventures, LLC(NAV) commenced survey work; anticipates filing Environmental Justice
Screening Form in late November and Environmental Notification Form (ENF)with Massachusetts Environmental
Policy Act(MEPA) office in January
o Barbara Katzenberg asked about Environmental Justice Screening Form; Amber Goodspeed explained Form
used in providing advance notification of projects to ensure more input from a wider range of demographics
o Margaret Coppe added there are seven socioeconomic indicators that have to be examined: people of color, low
income,unemployment rate, limited English speaking, less than high school education,under age 5, over age 64
• Citizen Comments: Citizens commented on and/or asked about the following topics:
• Jennifer Boles reiterated invite for 2022 Hanscom Air Force Base Restoration Advisory Board(RAB)Meeting
o Chairman Eliot added HAFB RAB Meeting information in the HFAC chat
Peter Creath queried about a drone flying between 8:OOpm-10:00pm hovering west of Interstate 95, east of Bedford
Road, south of MA Route 2 and north of Trapelo Road in Lincoln
o Thomas Hirsch elucidated the general rules that private citizens should follow for flying drones
o Amber Goodspeed suggested contacting the MA State police who have drone tracking information
• Margaret Coppe informed HFAC she has sent first seven sets of Minutes from 2022 to the Lexington archive
o All have been uploaded to site; Chairman Eliot will continue to send final copies to commission town members
• Ann Lovell asked about private planes flying over Hartwell Tavern in Minuteman National Historical Park
o Thomas Hirsch explained rules and procedures are briefed to all Hanscom Field badge holders during training
o Amber Goodspeed expounded on the fly friendly procedures Massport has in place for aircraft
• Other Business: The date for the next HFAC meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. on 20 December 2022 via Zoom
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Attendees: Christopher Eliot, Margaret Coppe, Mark Giddings, Barbara Katzenberg, Thomas Hirsch, Emily Mitchell,
Amber Goodspeed,Michael Vatalaro, Mark Wimmer, Jennifer Boles,Peter Creath, Ann Lovell, Mike Rosenberg and Kati
Winchell.
Attachment: ESPR 2022 Scope -Revised
ESPR 2022 SCOPE
The Hanscom Field Advisory Commission,including representatives from the towns of Bedford, Concord,
Lexington, Lincoln, the South Lexington Residents Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association met on November 16,2022 and unanimously voted to request for the items described below to be
included in the scope of the 2022 Hanscom Field FSPR. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in the
ESPR development process and hope to see action on these requested items.
Sincerely,
Christopher Eliot,Ph.D.
Hanscom Field Advisory Commission, Chair Thursday November 17, 2022
1. To our knowledge, there has never been a study of airport soil samples for lead contamination. After 60
years flying piston aircraft over the airfield on leaded AvGas there is presumably a significant level of lead
contamination on or in the vicinity of the airfield. The 2022 ESPR should include a study of airfield soil and
possibly air and water samples collected and analyzed for lead. Communities adjacent to Hanscom Field are
particularly concerned about high levels of lead contamination in the soil because construction projects
periodically haul soil from the airport through our communities and we need to determine our appropriate level
of concern about lead contamination resulting from this activity.
2. The FAA has recently approved an unleaded replacement for 100 LL for aviation use but it will take some
years before this is available at Hanscom Field. We would like to see a detailed sequence of verifiable
milestones culminating in the rollout of unleaded AvGas at Hanscom Field.We would like to be able to use
this sequence as a checklist so we can measure progress along the implementation plan, and have awareness of
where in the process there is an obstacle.
3. There has been a lot of discussion of alternate fuels for aircraft including electric,hydrogen, SAF all of
which promise to reduce local emissions and may reduce noise levels. As citizens we are trying to make sense
of various conflicting and confusing commercial claims and promotional statements. It would be very useful to
have a properly researched discussion of these potential environmentally friendly future technologies including
best estimates of expected deployments and likely beneficial impacts. According to published claims, some of
these technologies could be deployed in the five year period covered by the 2022 ESPR so this discussion is
timely.
4. Massport has been a leader in environmentally friendly construction and several recent projects have
included solar power production. What is the projected future of solar power production at Hanscom Field? In
future years,what percentage of airport electrical usage is expected to be produced on-site without carbon
emissions? Can a table or chart show likely projections?
5. Does Massport have a plan to make Hanscom Field a net-zero carbon emitter by a specific date? Can the
ESPR 2022 include a table showing milestones along the path to achieving net zero carbon emissions from
Hanscom Field. For practical reasons,it is probably best to separate aircraft emissions,which are less under
Massport control, from buildings and operations,which are more under Massport control. (See https://
www.massport.com/massport/media/newsroom/massport-announces-goal-to-be-net-zero-by-203 I/)
6. Determination of Hanscom Field air quality impact is almost entirely based on modeling. There have been
many requests for actual measurement to be done.
7. The Shawsheen river flows through Hanscom field and has potential use for drinking water. Municipal
water supplies for Bedford, Concord, Lexington and Lincoln are located between 0.9 and 6.8 miles from
Hanscom Field(2017 ESPR P.9-30) and could be affected by salt, de-icing compounds or other chemicals
used on the airport.We request ongoing and active testing of water flowing from the airport to increase
confidence in the safety of our water supplies.