A look at how Tweed plans to extend its runway and construct a new terminal. Morris Cove Alder-Elect Leland Moore sent out a message to his future constituents on Monday about how the Army Corps of Engineers is accepting public comments through Dec. 22 on Tweed New Haven Airport’s proposal t o expand its runway and build a new terminal. To submit your own testimony, click here or email [email protected] (and reference Permit Application No. NAE-2022-00290-TREC in the subject line). Click here for more information on the Army Corps’ public notice on this project, and see below to read in full the public comments that Moore submitted. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in my capacity as the Alder-Elect for Ward 18 in the City of New Haven, the ward in which Tweed New Haven Airport is located. I appreciate the opportunity to provide comment on the proposal to permit the construction of a new runway that would require filling and paving over significant wetland areas surrounding the airport. My primary responsibility is to advocate for the safety and wellbeing of the residents I will soon represent, and I want to express two central concerns regarding this proposal: Increased Flooding Risk in an Already Vulnerable CommunityThe neighborhoods surrounding Tweed lie within a FEMA-designated flood plain and have long experienced chronic flooding during both major storms and routine heavy rains. The wetlands adjacent to the airport serve as natural flood buffers—absorbing stormwater, slowing runoff, and reducing the severity of flooding in residential areas. Filling, paving, or otherwise diminishing these wetlands could meaningfully increase flooding risks for hundreds of households. Before any permit is approved, the public deserves a clear, comprehensive, and independently evaluated understanding of how this project would affect flood frequency, severity, drainage, and long-term resiliency. Absence of a Full and Thorough Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)Given the scale of the proposed wetland alteration and the project’s direct relationship to flood-prone residential communities, a full Environmental Impact Statement is warranted and, in my view, necessary. An EIS would provide a complete assessment of environmental, flooding, ecological, and public-health impacts—not only on airport property but across the surrounding neighborhoods. Issuing a permit without an EIS or a comparable analysis undermines public trust and prevents residents and elected officials from making informed, evidence-based judgments about the true risks and consequences of this proposal. As Alder-Elect, I strongly urge the Army Corps of Engineers to fully evaluate the flooding and environmental impacts before taking action on this permit. The people most affected by this construction and development deserve a transparent review process that accounts for both current harms and future climate-driven vulnerabilities. Thank you for your attention to these serious concerns. I welcome continued dialogue and would appreciate being kept informed of all future steps in the review process. Sincerely, Leland MooreAlder-Elect, Ward 18City of New Haven The post Alder-Elect: Tweed Expansion Needs Deeper Environmental Review appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less