Letter to the Editor: Canton is facing a major public health crisis

From the Canton Citizen:

Dear Editor:

As a resident of Canton, I am deeply concerned about the growing impact of Norwood Memorial Airport operations on our community. Repetitive low-altitude flights — many under 1,000 feet — are being routed directly, under Norwood Airport control, over our neighborhoods, schools, and playgrounds. This is not just disruptive, health-impacting noise; it is also exposing our children and families to harmful lead emissions from aviation gasoline.

Kennedy and Hansen elementary schools as well as our residential neighborhoods are directly under these flight paths. Our children are being exposed daily and have been for years! The FAA and EPA have confirmed that people living within 1,500 feet of piston-engine aircraft are at serious risk of lead exposure. Lead is a toxic substance with no safe level of exposure, and its effects on children’s neurological development are permanent.

The last noise study for Norwood Memorial Airport was completed in 1997; there is no known environmental study that includes Canton. Studies have only included Norwood. Since then, operations have increased, flight schools have come in, and expansion plans are underway that would bring larger, louder, and more intrusive aircraft into our area without any community approval or input. This expansion threatens to make an already dangerous situation far worse. Note: The airport has designed its flight paths to mitigate noise and lead pollution over Norwood by directing the aircraft (purposely) over Canton and other surrounding towns!

Canton families deserve better.

• We need updated, independent noise and environmental impact studies that include our town.
  
• We need our Select Board and Board of Health to demand protections for our residents.
• We need Canton representation on the airport operational commission for all operations and future plans.
• We need the elimination of all leaded aviation fuel pollution being dumped upon our children.
• We need state and federal officials to halt airport expansion until these impacts are fully understood and addressed.

I urge my fellow residents to get involved, speak up at town meetings, contact your state and federal representatives, and join your fellow residents to protect the health and safety of our community. Please engage and act together to eliminate this destruction of our quality of life in Canton and the impact on our children’s health.

Please see more information on the situation and what you can do at nomassairnoise.org.

Sincerely,

Scott Haigh