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‘Hear Our Noise Complaints!’: Stringer unveils ‘H.O.N.C.!’ agenda to reduce noise

Stringer plan will ban non-essential helicopter trips

Other proposals would target the city’s noisiest neighborhoods and tackle harmful noise pollution from sirens, subways, and other traffic

Stringer: “Too often, New Yorkers step outside and are greeted with a noisy helicopter circling overhead or a car alarm blaring across the street. It’s not pleasant, it’s not necessary, and it’s time we do something about it.”

New York, NY – City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer today stood at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport, the only heliport that hosts tourist flights originating from Manhattan, to unveil his “Hear Our Noise Complaints!” (“H.O.N.C.!”) agenda, a series of new reforms to reduce noise pollution across the five boroughs, beginning with a ban on non-essential helicopter flights.

As Mayor, Stringer would launch a citywide noise reduction project to address excessive and harmful noise from helicopters, emergency sirens, subways, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) — including illegal drag racing, noisy subway tracks, and car alarms.

Comptroller Scott Stringer said: “Too often, New Yorkers step outside and are greeted with a noisy helicopter circling overhead or a car alarm blaring across the street. It’s not pleasant, it’s not necessary, and it’s time we do something about it. I have a plan that puts New Yorkers’ health and quality of life first, and as Mayor, I’ll take sweeping action to make the city more welcoming to New Yorkers of all ages.”

Congressmember Jerry Nadler said: “This surge in non-essential helicopter traffic is bad for our health and bad for our environment — and it’s dangerous for those in the air and on the ground. For years, I have worked with my colleagues in Congress and urged the FAA to crack down on the helicopters plaguing our neighborhoods, and Scott Stringer will be the Mayor who acts decisively to ground the helicopters and cut down the unnecessary noise in this city on behalf of all New Yorkers.”

Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal said: “New Yorkers already suffer through so much unnecessary noise, and the next mayor needs to finally do something about it. The honking and the screeching may be part of everyday life, but they don’t have to be — and Scott Stringer is the only candidate in this race with a concrete plan to do something about it. From our youngest neighbors to our oldest, all New Yorkers will benefit from Scott’s work on this issue, and I’ll be proud to work with him every step of the way to get it done.”

Noise pollution impacts all New Yorkers. An estimated 90 percent of New York City residents are exposed to harmful levels of noise, leading to sleep disruption, hearing loss, hypertension, and even heart disease. This is particularly harmful for children who can experience decreased memory levels and other educational impacts.

Stringer’s proposals to reduce noise include:

Video of the press conference available here.

Scott Stringer grew up in Washington Heights in the 1970s. He attended P.S. 152 on Nagle Avenue and I.S. 52 on Academy Street. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Marble Hill and John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, a CUNY school.

Stringer was elected City Comptroller in 2013. Prior to serving as Comptroller, he was Manhattan Borough President from 2006 to 2013 and represented the Upper West Side in the New York State Assembly from 1992 to 2005. He and his wife, Elyse Buxbaum, live in Manhattan with their two children, Max and Miles.

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