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Home My WebLink About2024-05-21-HFAC-min Hanscom Field Advisory Commission (HFAC) Minutes—21 May 2024 Prepared by Massport Staff Video of HFAC Meeting on the Lincoln,MA TV Page: L.I...S....tv../.V.O.d/.Ii.ne.o.In/'?), e HOME .............. ...............I ag..................................... • Call to Order: HFAC Chairman Christopher Eliot called the meeting to order at 7:01pm • Announcements: • Chairman Eliot recording HFAC Meeting; greeted all to May23rd meeting pursuant MA Open Meeting Law • Chairman Eliot announced the 2022 Hanscom Field Environmental Planning and Status Report(ESPR)has been published; Amber Goodspeed added that the comment period goes until July 19 • Chairman Eliot noted comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Report(DEIR)was extended to June 14 • Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services 0 Amber Goodspeed stated there have been no requests for future scheduled passenger or cargo service • Minutes: The April 2024 Meeting Minutes were reviewed for approval • Chairman Eliot thanked Massport for providing the draft Meeting Minutes early in order to review • Margaret Coppe asked for clarification on electric fuel flowage fees and how fuel flowage fees work at both Worcester and Logan International Airport;Mike Vatalaro will follow up on how they are calculated • The April 2024 Meeting Minutes were unanimously approved with the following amendment: o Remove "e" from Kati Winchell's name 0 Barbara Katzenberg asked for the final meeting minutes from past months; Amber Goodspeed will forward • Monthly Noise Reports: presented by Amber Goodspeed In April 2023 as compared to April 2024: • 7am - I Ipm operations increased 10.2% in April 2024 • Singles (including touch and goes) increased 12.4%in April 2024 • Turbo activity increased 7.3%in April 2024 • Jet operations increased 1.9% in April 2024 • Helicopter activity increased 5.6%in April 2024 • Night Operations(I Ipm-7am) increased 18.4%with 185 in April 2023 compared to 219 in April 2024 • Noise Disturbance Reports increased from 177 in April 2023 to 252 in April 2024 made by 22 separate households • Chairman Eliot asked about increase at Site 36 Noise Monitor; Amber Goodspeed explained there was more usage on Runway 11 due to higher than normal number of days with northeast winds in the month of April • Emily Mitchell inquired about 10%monthly total increase;good weather for single engine pistons induced rise • Capital Programs and Third Party Development Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the Capital Programs and Third Party Development reports and noted that: • Salt Storage Shed Relocation project delayed to June 2024 • Paving for Signature Flight Support completed on May 13; anticipate Certificate of Occupancy on May 30 • North Airfield Ventures will hold a second public meeting on 30 May; public comment period will end June 14 • Hanscom Field Environmental Planning and Status Report(ESPR) completed and posted to Massport site May 15 • ESPR will be posted to Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA)website May 22 • Two public information sessions will be held June 10& 11; public comment period will end on July 19 • Alex Chatfield asked why Atlantic Aviation is installing a new 20,000 gallon fuel tank;Amber Goodspeed indicated that infrastructure for the tank in the fuel farm had been built during the original construction of the facility but the tank had not been installed at that time • Chairman Eliot inquired about total fuel capacity at Hanscom Field; Emily Mitchell noted values in ESPR • Agenda Items: Topics discussed on published agenda: • Runway 05/23 Rehabilitation Team presented upcoming construction work o Phase 1 completed in 2023 with Phase 2 consisting of resurfacing Runway 05/23 north of Runway 11/29 as well as relocating portion of airport security fencing on Runway 05/23 o Over three acres of excess pavement will be removed and returned to grass o Project team consulted with Bedford DPW and public safety officials o All work will occur in daytime Monday thru Friday; construction entrance same as last year off Virginia Road o Chairman Eliot questioned reasoning for fence relocation; Alex Normandin explained fence required by the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) to be outside the Runway Object Free Area(ROFA) o Emily Mitchell asked for clarification on truck trips; one trip is in and out so would be two o Estimated one hundred trucks per day in ten days for project; lower than last year as runway section shorter o Margaret Coppe wanted to ensure Town of Bedford good with hours of operation; Alex Nomandin stated work days would be 7:00am till 4-5:00pm; Emily Mitchell indicated noise ordinance for no loud noise before 7:00am • Chairman Eliot queried HFAC for comments on the Annual State of Hanscom Field Report o Chairman Eliot raised discussion on HFAC statement capturing community views on development of airport o Barbara Katzenberg commented on past assumptions on growth changing through the past couple of years o Emily Mitchell expressed believe that statement would not necessarily be effective in changing policies as Massport's role on growth and being self-sustaining is a policy imposed on Massport by the FAA o Tom Hirsch concerned that if Massport does not follow trends then burden for Hanscom may fall on taxpayer o Chairman Eliot's perspective is if Massport knows HFAC's concerns,they can better plan for the future o Terri Ackerman responded as member of Concord Select Board to agree HFAC should draft concerns • Chairman Eliot followed up on electric fuel flowage fees; Mike Vatalaro stated no update • Chairman Eliot raised discussion on letter published by the Conservation Law Foundation o Emily Mitchell thought letter covered many of same items HFAC and Towns have commented on o Terri Ackerman noted the Concord Select Board voted to sign the letter o Katherine Goyette summarized letter with it asking for a quantitative analysis of aircraft greenhouse gas emissions, statistics on additional aircraft and fuel storage and endangered species impacts o HFAC concluded Commission as a whole was not prepared to vote to sign letter collectively • Chairman Eliot brought forth article entitled"Greenwashing the Skies" o Article concludes that Sustainable Aviation Fuel(SAF) is not a credible way to make aviation climate friendly • Chairman Eliot reported Phase 1 of Professor Neelakshi Hudda's emissions study will be available end of May o Chairman Eliot has requested an additional $15,000 from MA State Senator Michael Barrett o Supplemental funding will cover some indoor monitoring and testing of air particles for lead content • Margaret Coppe updated HFAC on website development;asked for input on content and archiving o Chairman Eliot asked when main website ready public release; Margaret Coppe suggested not till June o Emily Mitchell suggested making website easy to maintain and Tom Hirsch wants to see menu for links • Chairman Eliot shared presentation on sustainability of different aviation fuels;industry needs to be open-minded o Put forward plan for combination of electric,hydrogen, SAF and reduced demand to lower emissions o Tom Hirsch pointed out multiple hops increase safety risks due to more takeoffs and landings o David Sykes introduced blended wing technology to improve efficiency being developed by the USAF • Chairman Eliot contacted Vital Fuel Systems about GAMI G100UL unleaded aviation fuel o Vital indicated they could ship new fuel within 10 days; Amber Goodspeed will ask about plans for availability • HFAC agreed to discuss Chairman Eliot's comments on the ESPR Executive Summary at the June HFAC • Citizen Comments: Citizens commented on and/or asked about the following topics • Alex Chatfield questioned North Airfield project proponents claiming fuel tanks classified as "SAF Ready" o Tom Hirsch provided insight that different aviation fuels may require different tank components Margaret Coppe solicited update on new Massport CEO; Michael Vatalaro had no new information • Justin Byrd asked about lights for new roadway configuration at Sartain Gate;United States Air Force project • Terri Ackerman interested in how to coordinate reducing noise for the 250'anniversary of historic battles of Concord and Lexington on April 19'2025; Amber Goodspeed will research request to the FAA o Jennifer Boles suggested the Towns reach out to the FAA and request adaptation of flight routes for ceremony • Jennifer Boles had questions about truck traffic hours;was late to start of HFAC and missed earlier presentation o Emily Mitchell's expectation is similar guidelines will be followed from Phase 1,which in her opinion went well • Other Business: The date for the next HFAC meeting will be at 7:00 p.m.on 18 June 2024 via Zoom • ESPR Public Information Sessions on 10 and 11 June at 6:00 p.m.via Zoom; links on Massport website • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 9:02 p.m. Attendees: Christopher Eliot, Margaret Coppe, Thomas Hirsch, Barbara Katzenberg, Emily Mitchell, Amber Goodspeed, Mike Vatalaro, Terri Ackerman, Cindy Baxter,Jennifer Boles, Justin Byrd,Alex Chatfield, Stephen Flecchia, Alexandra Eliot,Katherine Lee Goyette, Carol Haines,Jeanne Krieger, Alex Normandin,Maureen Richichi,Mike Rosenberg, Mark Sandeen, Anne Sobol,William Stason and David Sykes.