Assault from the sky

When Malverne resident Peter Robideau, 47, was told by representatives of Kennedy International Airport that recent runway construction would result in a temporary increase in air traffic above the village in the summer of 2010, he was understanding of the necessary inconvenience.

But when Robideau, president Malverne Civic Association, noticed that more than a year after the construction was completed he was still hearing planes storm by overhead, his patience began to wane.

“Some of the planes are so big my windows shake,” Robideau said, adding that most of the flights over Malverne are those departing from JFK.

When his complaints made to both the JFK Air Traffic Control Tower and the Federal Aviation Administration weren’t being addressed, Robideau took to the Internet to make his voice heard. Using several Malverne-related Facebook groups, Robideau united many residents in taking a stance against the turbulence. With each post, Malvernites urge more people to join against the aerial tumult.

“Without pressure from residents, the problem won’t go away,” Robideau said, noting that sometimes he hears one plane after another for hours on end. Aside from using Facebook as a platform to have more people join the cause, Robideau has also been in touch with freshman Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square).

“The issue was brought to my attention a month ago at a village meeting,” the Assemblyman said. “We’re really just trying to work with community members to get to the bottom of why the noise is persisting. The main goal is to get in touch with federal air traffic agencies to get the problem to cease.”

While Robideau, who has lived in Malverne for 14 years, is concerned with the noise nuisance, his real fear is that property values in the village will decrease because the persistent air traffic could turn off potential homebuyers. “We’re not used to this type of commotion,” Robideau said, “and even though I’m hopefully optimistic, something needs to be done.”

Robideau and other members of the civic will meet with village board officials and representatives of JFK and of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to “discuss how we can relieve some of the pressure,” according to Malverne Trustee Michael Bailey.