BILL NUMBER: S7381
SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to restrictions
on certain flight operations at municipal facilities; and to amend chap-
ter 592 of the laws of 1998, constituting the Hudson river park act, in
relation to the use of certain heliports in the city of New York
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would prohibit the any municipal corporation or the
Hudson River Park from allowing the use of publicly owned land for heli-
copter air transportation operated for the primary purpose of conducting
sightseeing tours over New York city or conducting photography, videog-
raphy, or similar production activities over New York city.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
SECTION 1: Amends the general municipal law by adding a new section
99-z, restrictions on certain flight operations at municipal facilities.
SECTIONS 2-7: Amends chapter 592 of the laws of 1998, as amended by
chapter 517 of the laws of 2013, ban non-essential heliport use through
the Hudson River Park.
SECTION 8: Effective Date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2020, helicopter complaints more than doubled in New York City.
During the first nine months of 2021, the city received 17,733
complaints about helicopter noise. Helicopters take off and land in
Manhattan hundreds of times during the week and more than 150 times on
Sundays, flying over and near people's homes, emitting high decibel
noise, and guzzling fossil fuels. New Yorkers can no longer work from
home comfortably, enjoy a walk along the waterfront, or keep a napping
child asleep because of the incessant noise and vibrations from non-es-
sential helicopter use. Helicopters are not just a simple nuisance:
noise pollution can have serious health effects, such as hearing loss,
stress, memory impairment, high blood pressure, muscle tension, ulcers,
fatigue, sleep problems, and can reduce cognitive ability in children
and adults. Additionally, helicopters are a threat to our environment
and detract from New York meeting the goals of the Climate Leadership
and Community Protection Act. One helicopter produces 43 times more CO2
per hour than an average car. This legislation would prohibit local
governments and the Hudson River Park from contributing to the helicop-
ter nuisance by allowing sightseeing tours to operate on publicly owned
land.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.6109 (Hoylman-Sigal), A.6985 (Simone). Died in Judiciary
2022: Similar bill (S.7493-A/Hoylman, A.8473-A/Gottfried). Vetoed.
 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect thirty days after it shall have become law,
except for leases where there is a contractual right of the contractual
user, which must be terminated as soon as contractually possible.