June 21st 2002
Documents in the Federal Aviation Administration's administrative record revealed dissension among FAA staff regarding the environmental study for the FedEx hub. Ed Melisky, an environmental specialist at the FAA, put his concerns in writing but asked that they not be included in the record. These concerns have surfaced. His comment, "It makes it appear that all we're concerned about is FedEx's costs" (and not citizens'), is what opponents have claimed all along: The FAA represents the aviation industry's interests, not those of the general public.
No one has dared to ask the simple question: How much will the hub cost the residents of Greensboro and High Point? Our political leaders have not had the courage to ask the question out loud because they don't want to know the answer. At a forum held by the Guilford County commissioners a few months ago, the opponents pleaded with these elected officials to please, just ask the questions. These questions have not been asked, let alone answered.
A majority of our local and state politicians have sat silently throughout this process, which begs another question: Have they been unduly influenced by local economic warlords into an irresponsible and dangerous silence? Where do their loyalties lie? A just and fair leader is never afraid to ask the tough questions and has the courage to hear the answers.
This is a world where the strong survive and some lose in the day-to-day financial battles, but something is amazingly wrong with the outcome desired by the masterminds of this scheme. More people will pay the price with their homes, neighborhoods and ability to sleep (well more than 16,000 people, based on actual historical data of similar hub situations in Indianapolis and Louisville) than the entire project will ever employ in its 20-year projections!
Why isn't anyone asking for the simple math? Why did presidents from our local colleges make sweeping statements claiming their support for this project? What type of example do they set for students, who will be our social policy makers in the near future? Obviously, that "money talks" and social justice can take a back burner, along with environmental issues, to myopic economic developers.
Why don't we ask our neighbors if they would take a job knowing that their friends must sacrifice home values and sleep? The moral integrity of those without jobs would prohibit them from harming their neighbors and community for the sake of employment.
Those concerned have asked all along, what will happen to our water, air and ability to sleep? How loud is loud when 135-plus airplanes land and take off all night? To date, there have been five reports researching the proposed hub. Four never asked how much it will cost the citizens. The only report that attempted to answer the question was the FAA's, which has never gotten the figures right in any other airport expansion.
On June 11, our citizens again asked how loud is loud. A nationally known noise expert from New York answered the question with airplane noise simulations. As we sat there covering our ears from the thunderous noise, we realized that we had no idea it would be that loud. Bone-rattling waves of fully loaded jumbo planes will keep even the deepest sleeper wide awake. Very few of our political representatives were there. Looks like they just don't want to know what will happen.
Remember, all we need to do is have the courage to ask the questions. What is truly just will emerge with crystal clarity.
LAURA POLLAK
Greensboro, NC