Mayor Thomas Menino allowed the East Boston community to express its displeasure over a proposed runway at Logan International Airport by sponsoring a town meeting yesterday at East Boston High School.
“It’s always the people in the suburbs, like Newton … that tell us to build more. If that’s the case, then build our airport right there,” Menino said.
The auditorium roared with applause and community members held signs protesting the runway. A cardboard plane with ‘Asthma Airlines’ written across it was held up high for cameras to see.
Menino expressed his opposition to the Massachusetts Port Authority’s construction of the runway.
“I will not let … MassPort shortchange the people of Boston. They have only had two public meetings since 1995 … [while] ignoring the public’s … questions about noise, transportation and health risks,” he said. “We are asking for fairness … [and] clean air so children won’t have to live with respiratory problems, like asthma.”
A panel of experts explained their opposition to the runway.
“There is a large number of studies that show an increase in air pollution causes an increase in mortality rate,” said Dr. Peter Koutrakis of the Harvard School of Public Health. The most sensitive are the elderly and children, he said.
However, little information exists on airports, Koutrakis said. A report by the Massachusetts Police Department showed airports are major producers of carbon monoxide.
Stephanie Pollack of the Conservation Law Foundation said a 45-day comment period is not enough.
“We need more time, more hearings in our neighborhood,” she said.
According to Mary Ellen Welch, one of the panel members, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) has to look at the study MassPort does to make a firm position. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), however, has been completely unresponsive.
Others proposed the community voice its opinions to Kennedy and Kerry, two men who have the capability to stop the runway from being built.
Audiences members were given time to explain their personal grievances.
Many community members are wary of MassPort’s promises because, according to Pollack, it has a history of not keeping promises. It is difficult for MassPort to comply with town issues because it is not subject to Boston city zoning.
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