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Climate Activists Rally in Boston Against Hanscom Private Jet Expansion, Deliver 15,000-Signature Petition to Healey
Dozens of protesters gathered outside a State Street office building and later at the State House to oppose a developer's plan to add 17 private jet hangars at Hanscom Field, warning it would add 6,000 flights and 150,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.
BOSTON â Dozens of climate activists rallied outside a State Street office building Thursday, chanting "Stop billionaires and their jets, climate action now" as they renewed their yearslong campaign against a proposed private jet expansion at Hanscom Field, a Massport-owned airport in Bedford.
The project, put forward by developer North Airfield Ventures, would add 17 new private jet hangars and new jet fuel storage areas at the airfield. Opponents say the buildout would sharply increase carbon emissions and undercut the state's climate progress.
"We really want to do what needs to be done to address the climate crisis, and to then see something like this in our neighborhood go up, which basically erases all our wins on climate action. It's just heartbreaking," said Sabine Von Mering, one of the demonstrators.
Organizers estimate that if approved, the expansion would generate at least 6,000 additional private jet flights each year. Alex Chatfield of the Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion said that translates to roughly 150,000 metric tons of additional carbon dioxide annually â "a staggering amount" that would "really set back Massachusetts' progress on climate action by years."
The protest moved from the offices of one of the project's chief investors to the governor's office at the State House, where activists dropped off a petition bearing more than 15,000 signatures from residents calling for the proposal to be rejected outright. The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The fight has stretched over several years. Two years ago, state officials rejected a draft environmental impact review submitted by the developer and required a revised report before the project could advance. The timeline for that resubmission remains unclear: last month, North Airfield Ventures told the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission â a local board made up of representatives from surrounding towns â that it could not say when the revised review would be filed.
"At this time, we are not exactly sure when we will be filing the response. I will keep you updated towards the end of the 1st quarter of next year. I will discuss your request with the Team prior to filing," Rick Muse said, according to meeting records. The commission has asked for a presentation before the document is submitted.
Despite the apparent slowdown, opponents say they intend to keep the pressure on. For residents of Bedford and neighboring communities, the dispute pits the promise of economic activity and aviation investment against concerns about air quality, noise and the state's legally mandated emissions targets â a tension that has become familiar as Massachusetts weighs new fossil-fuel-dependent infrastructure.
"We really want to do what needs to be done," Von Mering said, "and to then see something like this in our neighborhood go up."