The board of directors for Tweed New Haven Airport Authority voted 9-4 to approve a new 43-year lease and development agreement with a private company that will provide $100 million for the extension of the airport”™s runway from 5,600 feet to 6,635 in order to attract more air carriers and the construction of a new four-to-six gate terminal on the property”™s East Haven side.
According to a report in the New Haven Independent, the agreement between the airport authority and The New HVN LLC, a subsidiary of the Goldman Sachs-owned airport management company Avports, came in the face of opposition from East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora and many of his town”™s residents, who expressed concern that the project is being rushed and will contribute to environmental and quality of life disruptions. The four negative votes came from East Haven”™s representatives on the board of directors.
Carfora has suggested his town may file a lawsuit against the airport and claimed that “East Haven is not afraid of a street fight ”“ it never has been.” However, he offered no details on what the lawsuit or “street fight” would entail.
Airport Authority Executive Director Sean Scanlon acknowledged that the expansion plan will require some approvals from East Haven government boards and agencies before it can proceed.
“We”™re not exactly sure how comprehensive a list of approvals there need to be,” Scanlon said. “It”™s one of the reasons that we want to work collaboratively with East Haven. We do believe that there will have to be some approvals.”
Photo by Phil Hall
Sounds like a professional wrestler, not a reasonable, open minded person. Politicians, are all alike.