Asks county for detailed environmental assessment
By: T.J. Furman
Township Council has added its collective two-cents worth to the debate over the proposed expansion of the Mercer County Airport, which is located almost entirely in neighboring Ewing Township.
Council Tuesday night approved, 3-1, a resolution encouraging the county to undertake a detailed environmental study of the expansion and publish an environmental impact statement.
The county and the Federal Aviation Administration are compiling an environmental assessment report. If the FAA feels that report raises concerns, a complete environmental study and impact statement will be required. Otherwise, the county is under no obligation to complete one.
The resolution passed by Township Council this week asks the county to go through that process regardless of the FAA’s decision.
Councilwoman Pam Mount said the resolution came out of the Environmental Resources Committee, and that expansion of the airport “could have such a long-running impact that they would like to encourage the county to carry on with the process. They would like us to be on record that the county move forward.”
The airport is less than 3 miles from Lawrence’s border.
Ms. Mount, Deputy Mayor Doris Weisberg and Mayor Gregory Puliti, all Democrats, voted for the resolution. Councilman Mark Holmes abstained and Councilman Rick Miller voted “no,” saying the move was “premature” until the FAA has made a decision on the initial environmental assessment. Mr. Miller and Mr. Holmes are Republicans.
The environmental assessment will cover issues such as noise, traffic and pollution.
Residents of the Brandon Farms housing development in Hopewell Township have raised the most concerns in the debate because flights leaving and arriving at the airport regularly fly at a low altitude over their houses. The development is located in Hopewell Township along the border with Lawrence between Lawrenceville-Pennington Road and Interstate Highway 95.
At an April 4 meeting at the Brandon’s Four Seasons community center on Denow Road in Hopewell, Mercer County Executive Robert Prunetti said the environmental assessment report would be completed in May.
Mayor Puliti said Tuesday night that Lawrence residents are keeping their eyes on the expansion plans as well.
“People have come up to me and asked me about it,” Mayor Puliti said.
According to Ms. Mount, the county has a line item in its budget to do a complete environmental study and impact statement.
Mr. Prunetti has touted the expansion as a way of maintaining Mercer County’s economic health. He said the expansion would add a second gate to the terminal and extra parking at a cost of $16 to $18 million. Mr. Prunetti said no runways would be lengthened and that none would be expanded as long as he is county executive.
The proposal has caught the attention of Southwest Airlines of Dallas, which would add 12 flights a day to the airport’s schedule, Mr. Prunetti said. That is equivalent to 3 percent of Mercer’s current flight traffic, he said.
Public hearings must be held on the environmental assessment before a final decision on the expansion can be made. Mr. Prunetti told the Brandon Farms residents that the hearing probably will be held in early June.
John Tredrea, a Packet Group reporter, contributed to this story.