Twenty protesters were arrested Saturday after members of the group Extinction Rebellion Boston stood in the way of private jets at Hanscom Airfield. Others blocked the entrances of fixed-base operators Signature Aviation, Jet Aviation and Atlantic Aviation, holding banners with slogans like “no new fossil fuel infrastructure” and “private jets are leaving our kids’ future in the dust.”
The demonstrators were protesting the proposed expansion of Hanscom Airfield, which would add 17 new hangars for private jets. Activists say the projected increase in carbon emissions resulting from the additional jet flights would negate most of the gains from all solar installations in the state.
“I think most people don’t know that on average, per passenger, private jets contribute 10 times more carbon pollution than commercial airlines,” said Harley Takagi Kaner, one of the protesters who blocked the path of outgoing flights.
“It’s a slap in the face that they are even considering this proposal,” protester Gerry Frank told LexObserver. “They’ve asked all the citizens of Massachusetts to help out by putting solar panels on their roofs, getting electric vehicles, putting heat pumps in their house, recycling plastic. This overrides everything that we as citizens are doing to do our part.”
Jerry Grenier raises a fist before being arrested by local police. / Credit: Lauren Feeney
A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the expansion was released in March, detailing plans for a 47-acre development with 17 new hangars, adding 395,700 square feet for aircraft parking and storage. The planned number of new hangars dropped from 26 in the initial 2023 filing with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Office to 17 in the recently-released DEIR, but the square footage remains about the same. The public comment period on the report lasts through May 10.
Other local groups opposed to the proposal include Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere. The group presented a petition to Governor Maura Healy’s office in October; it now has more than 14,000 signatures according to the group’s website.
Sara Larus was one of the many activists standing outside in the rain on a Saturday morning, possibly risking arrest. Asked why, Larus said, “I have two kids, 9 and 12 — and I myself am not that old,” she said. “I just can’t believe with all we know about the science of how we are heating our planet beyond livability that Massachusetts is still contemplating the expansion of an airport that serves the 1%.”
Thanks for observing and everything everyone’s doing. Running with the wind and flying against it. Taking down walls and building bridges. Take care!
Thanks for this excellent article. Perhaps folks would also be interested in joining Stop Private Jets at Hanscom or Anywhere in our standouts against the Hanscom expansion on Tuesday morning at 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Depot Square in Lexington or at Pleasant St. and Mass Ave on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:30 a.m.
I was so glad to be one of the people arrested today. 50 years from now, whether we save the world in time or not, I wanna be able to tell my kids, “Yes, I did my part.”
Cops protect the 1%.
I was one of the people arrested at the Hanscom protest. I’m proud to stand with my neighbors from around the Commonwealth and Vermont in opposing this immoral private jet expansion that is threatening our children’s future. Please join us at our Earth Day Party for Our Planet on April 22 at 4pm at Cristopher Columbus Park, near the Aquarium T Stop.
This member of XRBoston is happy to have been arrested in support of this cause. If the health of our planet is not worth fighting for – what is? Since last June XRBoston has held a Standout at the Massachusetts State House every workday. We canvas workers and visitors, and maintain a visible presence to members of the legislature. Anyone who feels that not enough is happening fast enough with regard to NNFFI No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts is welcome to come by, visit, or join our protest at the Ashburton Entrance every work day between 11 and 3.
I find this report disturbing and the support in the comments revolting! Blaming this as a problem of the 1% is ignoring the needs these people have as well as the good they provide creating jobs. It also ignores our national defense needs. Granted, it’s not a military field but it provides additional jobs for aircrew and maintainers who will be needed when (not if) Russia and/or China invade. If we let Russia take Ukraine or China take Taiwan, we will be fighting them here on our streets in a dozen years or less. We will need dispersal airfields. Stopping this expansion is penny wise but pound foolish. How about attacking the real polluters like India, China, Russia, and the ***stan’s.
I understand your stance, and agree with some of it – but please – I grew up in Lexington, live in the city now – and years of hospitals/severe injuries from big pharma attaching to (against zoning) and surrounding residential doing R&D and almost everything I own is destroyed – including eardrums/any balance or body control – same for many who ranted and raved (pointless) and then pay for the whole year (or break lease) and leave – some shaking/convulsing uncontrollably from the 24/7 illegal decibel level noise and some from horrific vibrations – there’s horrible health problems from all of this and life-threatening injuries, destruction of property which is irreplaceable…… America pollutes too – c’mon now, you know it, I know it. Are you aware of what happened a couple towns away years back when leukemia rose exponentially (you may have seen the movie with John Travolta years ago – the attorney who went bankrupt fighting the toxic dumping causing it but kept at it and finally exposed/stopped it). I was very little at the time, but heard about it and was so worried about some little girls I took ballet with who came to Lexington from that town for classes. EVER increasing infrastructure noise is also pollution – and in the instance here – VERY dangerous. I’m honest – don’t know the full details of how many private jets are taking off – or what percentage of them are purely pleasure vs. business necessity…….The noise could indeed be dangerous to locals – THAT IS a concern – as here, the shaking/convulsing/loss of body control and often voice control by those in certain apartments presents as “anxiety” and there is a remarkable amount of ignorance about it. Being knocked unconscious and thrown across your apartment, coming to foaming blood from the ears changes your life forever. A thorough investigation of the dangers should be done, but blanket condemnation is based in ignorance – objective studies by qualified parties seems a reasonable compromise. The town would need to be nudged into doing this as it is beyond the means of most individuals. I can’t get help. “Hallucinations” is a common conclusion and I want to scream – I worked in crisis intervention, I do NOT EVER do anxiety – it wastes time, and I GUESS as you’ve not checked publicly available information on what has and IS going on here you’re “qualified” to make that statement – so I guess 20 years of it and SO many people having the same “hallucinations” VALIDATES your ignorant assumption. The lawsuit that was launched, and the company called the town and said if you try to stop us We’ll SUE the town. And it was dropped immediately. Yes, money talks – no big conspiracy, it’s usually just money – but in instances like this it destroys lives and property – and no insurance would cover THAT. Hardwood sofas with TONS of crates of paperwork that have crashed onto them going airborne and the sofas shattering – what do they think is happening to a 93 lb. woman? They don’t. Lexington was a wonderful place to grow up – I hope the town can take a cooperative and rational approach to looking into the positives and negatives and not make this about money, but about health and safety – in all it’s forms. And BTW – if wealthy people are using it as a convenient take off spot, I can understand — but YOU seem to think they’d be useful in an invasion. WHAT? If you are truly believing this, I’d suggest you take a deep breath and consider organizing some private pilots you know – or GET to know – and organizing emergency practice drills – not expecting untrained civillians who are commuting to defend the town. THAT is funny, sad, and unfair/unrealistic to expect. Go for it – DO something, but make it positive and realistic. Complaining accomplishes nothing – PARTICULARLY when money is involved – IF that is “the problem.” N.B. No sleep in so long – and multiply broken fingers+++ kindly forgive any rambling or typos! Cooperation and communication people – please each listen to the other and do realistic evaluations. If the situation is that bad, PUSH the correct parties to facilitate this (FUND).
Disciples of the green religion I call Gianism. Point of fact. Since private jets are generally smaller than commercial jets they do not emit carbon at a rate 10 times greater than commercial jets. I’ve been in aviation all my adult life and smaller jets burn less fuel than the big jets. I suppose the Gians do not know 20,000 years ago the current location of that airport was covered in a mile or two thick sheet of ice. It was melted and gone long before humans had any industry. Therefore humans have had little to no impact on climate as it is all part of a natural cycle of warming and cooling.
Patrick.
You are sorely mistaken as to what the expansion is for. It has nothing to do with National Defense. It has nothing to do with supporting the general economy with critical transportation infrastructure. It has nothing to do with providing trained mechanics for military deployment. It will not compromise or enhance the existing runways which were built for heavy aircraft after WWII and still serve large military transport. It will only provide new hangers for 737s to serve only the ultra rich on private flights all over the world. In fact, most private jet traffic serves to fly this population to resort and vacation destinations. It does this while undoing all efforts to control the pollution created by fossil fuels. We regulate fossil fuel use in our cities and towns, yet this is allowed to advance. Why? To what end? How does it serve the greater good?
DeWayne,
Do you know what kind of jets will be housed in these hangers?
737s…not smaller than commercial aircraft…just as large but only carrying a few people at a time.
Your last statement is ADORABLE. Absolutely adorable. Wow. I’m no “Gian” as you call them – I view things from the point of view of cause and effect, with inductive and deductive reasoning and checking VERIFIABLE facts and CREDIBLE tests. And seriously, you label people with diffferent points of view. THAT is very “telling.” Stop and think a bit please? Breathe……
And what did they accomplish other than facing prison? Zilch, nothing. The expansion will still happen. There will always be Corporate jets. The US is just one country in the world. Whatever actions you take, will be negated by the pollution of third world countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central/South America. Global warming will continue to happen even if the fine folks of Massachusetts go all electric and no corporate jets.
A real solution? It’s the natural way – ask yourself what is the planet’s self defense from dangerous animals that inhabit the planet? Throughout the history of time? The answer is simple. Natural disasters, which includes viruses/pandemics. Mother Nature chooses to cull the herd. A legit answer to fight global warming would be to reduce the earth’s population. That’s just fact. We recently had a pandemic which might have eliminated 1% of the worlds population, but of course we went into life saving mode.
Take your pic. But you’re not getting away from global warming while increasing the world population.
Ummmm…… I don’t think COVID custom selected “harmful” people…… interesting reasoning that. Yes, the planet does indeed try to re-balance itself in many ways, but that does not absolve US of the responsibility of trying to help. Have you seen where areas we’ve made into DESERTS were brought back to life by the introduction of BEAVERS? Or the effect or re-introducing Wolves to FAMOUS parks have accomplished? Do positive results from actions taken by people who are concerned bother you? Do you really want us to sit back and wait for “Mother Earth” and Pandemics to solve problems – many of which humans have created – and SOME of which we can solve ourselves (in the two cases I cited – with the insight and knowledge of the behavior/capabilities of others – animals). There ARE things which can be done to help the planet, and US. Good luck with “I don’t have to do anything or support those who do” – as it will all work out in the end. I personally would prefer “the end” not be escalated exponentially when it can be SLOWED instead. People who believe we can fix it all, sadly I don’t think that is true, but we CAN slow the downward roll a bit – and isn’t that worth the effort?
Sucks to be poor. I’ll be they wouldn’t be protesting if they could afford a PJ.
This is brilliant!
1. They are taking good jobs away from people in need of them.
2. They aren’t adding private jets, they are adding hangars for existing private jets. There is a hangar shortage, which probably means some of these private jets are hangared elsewhere and fly into Hanscom just to pick up passengers/owners, then fly back to the field they are hangared at.
Way to save the planet brainiacs!
LOL – thank you. Years ago I wrote a profile on the founder of the World Watch Institute, and recall most vividly his pondering the practice of people driving to health clubs (using fossil fuels, polluting) only to ride a stationary bike – when they could just ride a bike to the club. Kinda the same deal as what you’re addressing. Years back I worked with a brilliant wonderful woman at a very respected publishing house – and around the time they released the Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, another book came out, “The Dumbing Down of America.” Seems rather prophetic now. Thanks for the smile – common sense and objective observation/conclusion drawing brings me a smile. Happy spring to you David, and thanks again.
You can get an ideal of how many aircraft flying at any minute in the world but going to Flightradar24.com
You might be surprised!
Can you imagine what would have happened if any one of these people contributed to a runway incursion, even accidentally? We’re talking lives! Better to be arrested than dead.
Anyone ever seen the video of the gentleman absorbed into a running turbo fan engine and lived to tell the tale? Dude was pretty banged up, but still alive for the interview, after.
And, for crying out loud… Who allowed these clowns access to the airfield just to sit in front of an aircraft to protest emissions? The reason the protest happened isn’t nearly as alarming as how these people entered the airfield in the first place. Get em!
Apparently security wasn’t what it could be. But yes, people have a right to protest – preferably not at risk of their lives or those of others….. You speak your mind clearly – so whether I totally agree or not – I DO like that you do so – so refreshing, straight statements not wrapped in “clever” or “cotton candy” – Thank you for that! You brought me a chuckle too – needed that, thanks. Broken fingers are screaming, so I’ll end my comments with the smile at reading yours!
David Stephens, you are incorrect. More than half of all civil aviation fields in the US have waiting lists for tie-down space and jet hanger space. Hanscom is one of them. The only limiting factor is infrastructure. It’s like building a parking deck in Back Bay: as soon as you build it, it will fill up.
David Murray, you have a common misconception: that Hanscom Airfield is the same thing as Hanscom Air Force Base. Massport is delighted to let this conflation stand. The two entities are separate, and have nothing to do with each other. From time to time, Air Force planes do use Hanscom. Hanscom Airfield is a Massport property.
The jet owners pay no excise tax on their planes, and pay no tax on fuel-unlike you and me. They pay no landing fees, as you and I do on commercial flights. Our fees help pay for their facilities. This arrangement is not a lot different than giving the 1% the right to buy their own lane on the Turnpike–but then never pay any tolls.
There is an URGENT need to submit comments to the state on the proposed expansion of Hanscom, deadline May 10. Among the outrageous claims of the developers of the project are: This is a “Net-Zero” carbon project — but they are only counting buildings, not emissions from additional planes; That there are no additional emissions–a ridiculous claim as they plan to install four new 20,000-gallon underground tanks for jet fuel, and I assume that will be burned — 200 of these flights, most to vacation spots are the equivalent to 40,000 commercial flights in terms of emissions. This project negates all our town efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. Step by step to make a comment: https://docs.google.com/document/d/134oXFLUoC_AvpDSjGZZj9DfFDynamBCshCzEpb882PE/edit
Fran, thank you for encouraging people to speak their minds and hopefully (?) be heard. I, personally, am also concerned about the flight patterns locally and the effect on local residents – hearing, whole body vibration disorder, headaches/blood pressure spikes/no ability to sleep (or perhaps they’ve set reasonable take-off/landing times). I do have to question why so many people are saying the private planes are being used for vacations……. is there some air-flight destination monitoring going on – like the police radios that people used to listen to back when? Perhaps, just perhaps, many are going to scout new properties for businesses – some of which might be beneficial in many ways? I dunno….. assumptions? “Surveys”??? “Reports” with WHAT sources? Maybe they ARE mostly vacations and others have legitimate ways of knowing this – but I also know extremely wealthy old-money business people who’ve done enormous good for humans AND for the planet (one in particular who gave LARGELY and consistently to The Nature Conservancy – and very quietly.) THAT’s a group I’m very well inclined toward, but fear all their work for so long could be destroyed with a stroke of a pen with the dreaaded “imminent domain”……. But vacations mostly? HOW do people know this?
200 vs. 40,000 in emissions per person
Last numbers were emissions per person
As the NYT Magazine recently reported, NOISE CAN TAKE YEARS OFF OF YOUR LIFE. And adding to Hanscom will add noise to Lexington
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/09/health/noise-exposure-health-impacts.html
For the love of whatever you hold sacred – think and act with proper research – this effects Bedford too – nobody seems to have addressed THAT. If all of you are concerned, do a fundraiser and set up a private piece of research. A physicist and biophysicist (impact on neighbors etc.) would be great – but there ARE groups that have incredible equipment to measure a LOT MORE than decibel levels (I think it should be amplitude – but whatever). There’s one in Cambridge I called for help saving my life but couldn’t get past the secretary “WE don’t deal with civilians” – I explained my background – and tossed in my joy at NASA as a toddler/little kid and later working with the beloved brilliant Herman Feshbach, who I was unable to speak with again as he so sadly passed away when I was trying to survive the “impossible” double hit in run – yes in Lexington – well, one didn’t leave (Human Volley Ball – I was spiked 47 feet). I’m keyboarding this with BROKEN and CRUSHED fingers on TOP of disabled hands (WAS an exhibited artist, musician, so much more – but gave years of my life ’round the clock saving lives and helping others) – WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Bickering. If you genuinely care and are concerned form a non-profit and call a group to do INDEPENDENT measuring of the sound/vibration impact locally and WHEREVER it extends – WALK THE WALK. The group I mentioned – if anyone is interested in helping Lexington and Bedford – is Acentech. Look them up, do a bit of research and instead of bickering DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. If your findings prove fruitful, the media is a valuable tool. WAKE UP!! Self defined “PC” bickering is childish. DO something about it. But oh, sorry, THAT would take cooperation. PLEASE cooperate – make it about the problem (respectably established professionally) – not about “I can educate HER! I can educate HIM!” I’m tired. Very very tired. DO SOMETHING if you genuinely care. And if you find your declarations are incorrect, don’t pout, see if OTHER damage is occurring. And PLEASE think local – NOBODY cares about global statements from locals. Although that little girl yelling at the adults – now SHE impressed me! SHE took action. And yes, media is your best friend in this – good that you’re contributing in Lexobserver…… but VISUALS HELP. Have you noticed people don’t listen much these days? Read the comments above. Most are venting their gripes/concerns – I sympathize – but are you communicating or doing one-upmanship? Seriously people……STOP. LISTEN. READ. Consider other points of view – what is the worst thing that can happen? You might LEARN something? And if you don’t? You can always go back to your own opinions. But if groups of you are truly concerned – PLEASE learn to work together. I have a great love of aeronautics – my Dad had his own airplane company when he was 14, later worked at NASA (GREAT CHILDHOOD THAT, and later for me visiting NASA and lovely people I met), then the FAA. What has anyone done about the 3 day waits at airports? Back when, the air traffic controllers were highly skilled and enormously stressed – but planes took off as scheduled. What has happened? Auto-scheduling of MORE flights than PHYSICS allows to take off at the same time? (Be quiet, physics is like religion………check out string theory……..beauty and genesis in ENERGY) so please focus your energy on productive communication and action if you care about what’s happening at Hanscom? PLEASE. And WHAT source of information leads whomever to think that almost ALL the flights are for vacations? Perhaps it’s out there, but is THAT really the problem? A cousin who passed, fought cancer 15 years, at the wake I spoke with her brother and he stopped short when I said something: “Stop whining and DO something about it” (relevant to our conversation) – and he said “THAT WAS WHAT SHE ALWAYS SAID.” (I wasn’t surprised, she was a fighter – AND gained great grace and sensitivity to others while going through unbelievable pain and fear and REAL challenges herself.) Please stop the pointless bickering and one-upmanship. If you love your town, THINK. THINK ACTIVELY and productively. Please. Are you here to help solve a problem or to prove “I know MORE than YOU” and I MUST “share” that with you. How about reaching out a hand and having discussions instead; cooperation……a lovely word. (Sorry for the rave, extreme pain/no sleep possible – and came back to check on this – and sadly “same ol’ same ol”. Sad. Disheartening. Do yourselves proud, would you please?) I’d do MYSELF proud and scroll up and edit my posting, but efficacy and excruciating pain from keyboarding and medical demands I don’t know HOW I can get to, call – and legs aren’t working and I can’t…..and the Vertigo and blasting, and now GENERATORS+++ all around the apartment, and things shaking/breaking…., but have to. And you? I do hope you have the leisure and comfort to stop and think and have wonderful insights. And act on them, or at least remember them and engage others respectfully and productively. You have a home to come home to and relax and sleep, I do not. If you truly feel that is threatened, work together to make sure that doesn’t happen – PLEASE. Don’t argue, value what you have, protect it, and remember not everyone has that. I wish you all well with this; am saddened by much I’ve learned recently about changes in Lexington….. but it’s my hometown, I love it and care. Please cooperate with each other and accomplish something?
Shame on me – prior I mentioned Bedford being at risk from fallout too, and left out Concord; I’ve mourned the lack of public transit access to Walden Pond, the sassafras root I used to buy there – along with the most wonderful soap in tins – such fond memories of a town which was both more “city-like” and “village-like” than Lexington. Walden will be horrifically less peaceful (and more polluted and NOISE polluted) by increased flights out of Hanscom. The noise – I have learned (althouugh mine is construction/decon & r&d biotech in the residential district which was supposed to have more housing built and is NOT zoned for biotech r&d etc.). Thankfully in Lexington at least you don’t have your once apartment building or home ATTACHED to and surrounded by it. The noise causes headaches, blood pressure spikes, inability to sleep; the VIBRATIONS destroy ANTIQUE TONGUE AND GROOVE OAK CHESTS THAT BRICKS COULDN’T, shatters and throws pots/pans/cans – rips cabinets and DOORS off hinges (if I’d been here when the door to the balcony never built was smashed in by the aforementioned and the sound waves of giant out-vents, blasting – , SILOS (nice word) on ROOFS aligned with you cranking out HUGE BURSTS of sound and CO2 used to cool ultra-fuges et al (think of teakettles the size of houses screaming – all different notes on and on and on and on and horrific barometric pressure shifts and sinus bleeds and far worse); hardwood upholstered sofas with TONS of paperwork in crates crashed onto them go airborne and hardwood breaks on impact – and so do I. I’ve had a construction worker who only made it 4 steps into my apartment when I heard an awful groan, he grabbed his chest and collapsed to the floor – struggling to breathe. I KNOW THESE REACTIONS personally & far far worse due to “location location location” of my apartment which should not even be used for storage – for many many years and cannot get out. It violates zoning codes, it “deafens” (and worse) locals in particular areas; will never forget the heart-breaking screams and endless crying of a little teeny boy – but they were gone right away – thankfully for them, destroys body control (inside as well as mobility and fine and gross motor control) and worse.
Planes are not R&D equipment, but enough of the nightmares of that sound is toxic in so many ways. I used to love planes. And helicopters were a great love.
I may never see the places I loved again, and there’s worse (but not for here) – but hey, it IS true that money talks and finds it’s way into pockets – it’s the way of real estate development – and face it, the presence of these major players in a city which touts itself as the innovation capital of the country – well, it’s “prestigious”. And all built on what is close to a marsh with it’s location.* Their buildings are insulated to protect employess – MINE IS NOT – and even THEY have signs outside for their employees to avoid any prolonged exposure – dangerous decibel levels – or they did when I was forced to walk their service road to get to the T repeatedly, and blasted with CO2 gushing from mis-matched delivery system to recepticle. I’ve HAD C02 poisoning – was a coincidence I found out due to testing pre-scheduled for other reasons – it’s awful – I’d assumed I had the flu, some MIGHTY virus AND food poisoning (you fill in the blanks) for many weeks…… I survived it, but cannot the vibrations. And even when not that dangerous – china will break (growing up in Lexington, when I was a kid the Blue Angels put on shows every summer – they were great – but neighbors all complained about the china they had up on the wall shattering……. in fair play, they did know, it happened EVERY YEAR, wondered why they didn’t take it down that day…… I don’t have that option here (small apartment – all in cabinets – not that it saves them, the cabinets assault ME and smash me to the floor then land on top of me with remarkable force and pain – the sound of vintage waterford bought one by one over decades is devastating but I don’t even get up to look anymore now – can’t – the floor becomes a carpet of thrown and smashed things, THEY will find ME) and so much destroyed/lost forever – will never be able to replace and others family heirlooms or gifts from long gone family members I loved. When I try to bend down to gather it up, I crash to the floor – Vertigo.
When a plane flies over – often your windows rattle (it’s common integers – no point in detailing) – many, and LOW due to proximity to Hanscom…… long term, the effects will be awful; short term annoying – but your neighbors will change more frequently than you’re used to seeing….. I hope you aren’t in the flight path – but think of those who are! I have myoclonic seizures from it (rotors) (the rotors used locally make the theme from Apocolypse Now sound like a lullaby and you convulse and shake and heart feels crushed, lungs blown open so painfully, and you have broken speech and can’t hear & so much more) and it broke my heart when I was in a parking lot (idling SUV’s & trucks can drop me like a stone) – and suddenly arms and legs flailing/spasming wildly and DOWN I CRASHED. Being me I simply got annoyed and said to myself “WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?” and looked up and almost cried – it was three helicopters – I LOVE helicopters, they are the hummingbirds of aeronautics – prototype by LEONARDO DaVINCI!!!! NOOOOO!!! – then REFRIGERATORS effect you and HVAC – air compression and cyclical air compression effects the fluid in your middle+ ear and Vertigo becomes out of control, and much more.
There is a good amount of research in this area – but it’s focused on workplace exposure, and some things are being done to help. Last I checked, Canada is way ahead of us; OSHA (whom I love for personal reasons) have dragged their heel on setting standard – hopefully that has changed or will. Drivers of trucks whose steering wheels vibrate, jack hammer operators etc. develop what’s called White Hand Disease/Disorder and Reynauds; those exposed in buses etc. that vibrate a lot – especially seats get Whole Body Vibration Disorder – and it’s AWFUL. I was a ballet dancer, and I lose my legs and any ability to control them and much more…… I’ve been sitting with 5 pillows, yoga mats etc. under my feet, but TONS of breaks/fractures & repeated stress damage and cannot feel the ground often – it’s dangerous, as are the flying cans, crashing light fixtures, shattering glasses, pans, CROCK POTS’ COVERS ARE FRISBEES etc. “Well at least THAT one didn’t hit me.” THERE hasn’t been much research at all v.a.v. residential versions of this as the infrastructure change has outpaced the research. What will happen in Lexington, Bedford and Concord will not be as lethal as what has happened to me, but Lexington, Bedford and Concord WILL NOT BE LEXINGTON LINCOLN AND CONCORD anymore. And haven’t there been enough unfortunate changes over the years? Lexington, with such high taxes and so many families who were residents as were their parents and theirs….forced to move – and it being used as a cut through to Rt. 2 and 128 for COMMUTERS from elsewhere (years ago I thought they should put up toll booths for non-residents who feel this is their right to pollute a small town to the level of a city for THEIR convenience. And families having to move when the condo boom in Boston brought so many from so many places and they all wanted a “prestigeous” address – and Lexington was hit the worst – easiest commute to Boston AND they wanted the school system, and taxes went through the roof and we lost neighbors we’d known “forever.”
SOS – David I think (sorry, broken/crushed fingers – this has taken forever to keyboard and almost all my computers & electronics killed over and over and I can’t replace any more so am on a borrowed DEMON BOX laptop that loses signal/gets stepped on by “locals” and of course X. Have lost untold hours of work that way – taken over, screen freezes, nothing can save to draft – all lost as the only way to get rid of them is to completely shut down – and nothing to find when on the 11th try to get back in one succeeds briefly.
PLEASE CHECK WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE LINK TO SEND PROTESTS REGARDING THIS and correct it – and PLEASE tell me the deadline is MIDNIGHT? I have to get OUT OF HERE and get anywhere I can take my earplugs out and breathe….
SOS to LexObserver – if you know the correct link – can you post it and email it to me? No guarantee I’ll get it, but I’ll do my best.
Thanks to everyone who had and has thoughtful and productive thoughts posted, and sympathy to those who just needed to gripe – as I am now to some degree. I just want people to realize that yes, the pollution is dreadful, but the noise and VIBRATIONS are more imminently dangerous – though they won’t be as bad as here, they will alter your life experience.