The City Council yesterday vowed to vehemently fight the proposed new runway at Logan International Airport during its weekly meeting at City Hall.
“Jean Paul Sartre once said, ‘When the rich wage war, it is the poor who die,’” said City Councilor Paul Scapicchio (East Boston, North End).
He said the runway is a “serious problem.” The Council recommended a hearing to pass a resolution that would ask Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Secretary Robert Durand to extend the 45-day public comment period on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Impact report submitted by the Massachusetts Port Authority on Runway 14/32.
There was an additional order for a hearing to review the status of the Logan Airside Improvement Planning Project.
“MassPort is attempting to bulldoze a runway through the community,” said Scapicchio. “We need to take the gloves off with MassPort. We have got to fight this with everything that we have.”
MassPort has scheduled a public hearing for April 25, which Councilor At-Large Stephen Murphy called a “sham hearing.” Councilors proposed a public meeting in Council chamber the day before MassPort’s hearing.
Scapicchio said people need to look at the big picture. He suggested building a second airport at Fort Devins, which has over 18,000 acres of open space. Murphy agreed, saying there should be a ballot question regarding building another airport.
Murphy called the proposed runway a “form of class warfare.”
Councilor Maura Hennigan (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury) protested the runway because it would contribute to air pollution and increase health problems for area residents.
“We can put earplugs in our ears, we can soundproof our houses, but we can’t stop breathing,” she said. “If this runway is built, everyone in Boston will be affected — some immediately, some long-term, some we will never know.”
Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty also opposes the proposed runway.
“I’m tired of the MBTA and MassPort using the city of Boston as a dumping ground,” he said. “Enough is enough.”
The Council also discussed the need for a hearing to discuss the role of the Transportation Commissioner. Councilor Michael Ross (Back Bay, Fenway) addressed the problem of parking during snow emergencies.
“People had to move their cars off the streets on snow days, and I got a lot of calls asking, ‘What do you want us to do with our cars?’” he said.
Garages in the city cost up to $28 a day, and some people let the city tow their cars because it’s cheaper.
Ross said garages should lower their rates on snow safety days, not more than two or three days a year.
“No one comes into the cities on these days anyway,” Ross said.
The matter was referred to the Transportation Committee.
Referring to the need to discuss support services provided to elderly and disabled public housing residents, Scapicchio said, “Mixing drug dependency with the elderly is a recipe for disaster.”
Councilor Maureen Feeney (Dorchester) said there are serious problems with the federal ruling that allows the elderly and physically handicapped to be in the same housing.
“People are causing problems,” she said. “People are afraid to come out of their houses.”
Although the federal law allows the elderly and physically handicapped to be housed together, practices are left to individual cities.
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