Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel issued the following statement in response to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s decision to split the crowded airspace over the Hudson River in to a low-altitude zone for local traffic and a higher one for longer-distance flights.

“Sadly, it took a tragic mid-air collision over the waters of the Hudson River for the airspace above New York City and New Jersey to be addressed. I am pleased to see the FAA worked with the National Transportation Safety Board to develop a plan to prevent accidents such as the one this summer which claimed eight lives.

“As a member of the Hudson River Delegation, I am particularly concerned with this region. My constituents, living along both sides of the river, are deeply concerned about safety on the ground and in the skies. In addition, the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant lies just north of my district in the Hudson Valley. As has been well-reported, plans for sabotaging the plant were found in the caves of Afghanistan, and the 9-11 terrorists used the Hudson River as their guide to fly their way to lower Manhattan. The dangers are there, and this is a welcome first step towards better monitoring the air traffic above the city and its suburbs.

“I want to believe this is a sure signal of the FAA’s interest in seeking a solution to crowded airspaces above residential areas with deference to noise and safety concerns, like the one that will exist above Rockland County in the wake of the proposed airspace redesign plan. I have long been opposed to the airspace redesign plan, which I believe will aversely affect the quality of life for residents affected by the changes.

“I would be disappointed if the FAA missed an opportunity to address the air traffic plaguing the Hudson Valley Region, while permitting a brand new problem to take shape in another location. The people of the Hudson Valley region deserve safety along the river, and they also deserve preservation of their quality of life at the same time. I look forward to working with the FAA on this issue, so we can develop similar solutions to the ones announced today.”