The New York City Council on Thursday voted to pass a landmark bill sponsored by Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías that will prohibit non-essential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports unless they meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s strictest noise standards.
The bill’s passage comes just two weeks after a deadly sightseeing helicopter crash along the Hudson River claimed six lives, reigniting calls for greater oversight. The measure, which passed overwhelmingly, aims to curb the noise, emissions and safety risks long associated with non-essential helicopter traffic.
