July 5, 2024

Commissioner Shawn LaTourette
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08625

Dear Commissioner,

Over a year ago, the Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy wrote to Deputy Commissioner Sean Moriarty Letter to Sean Moriarty re Blade Helicopters 6-7-23 – Final a.docx (dropbox.com) concerning Blade Air Mobility, Inc. and their plans to provide helicopter service from the Newport Heliport on the Hudson River in Jersey City. To date we have not received a response from the DEP to our letter. More importantly, the Newport Helistop has now started helicopter service at the Hudson River site. Newport Helistop | Newport Helistop

Blade Air Mobility, Inc. is operating their helicopter commuting service at property owned by the Lefrak organization located at 2 Sixth Street, Jersey City. The Conservancy also filed a complaint on WARNDEP over a year ago and has not received any notice that the DEP took any action to our complaint.

To date, the Conservancy has not located a copy of any Waterfront Development Permits (WDP) for 2 Sixth Street, Jersey City. The following questions remain unanswered.

  • Has the DEP approved any WDP for the 2 Sixth Street Pier in Jersey City in the past 12 months or is there a WDP under consideration?
  • In the past, was a WDP ever issued for the property at 2 Sixth Street, Jersey City to construct a heliport or for any other development at that address?
  • If a Waterfront Development Permit was issued several decades ago, is it still in effect, and is the current helicopter service being conducted in accordance with such permit?
  • If the heliport was developed in a different configuration and conditions as set forth in any original permit, has an appropriate amended permit application been filed?

2 Sixth Street is on a landfilled peninsula in the Hudson River. If development is under a WFD Permit, it requires construction of a Walkway. Also, the Department’s rules state that “the development shall be compatible with adjacent land uses to the maximum extent practicable.”. NJAC 7:7-16.11 (a) and (b), and Subsection (c) specifically focuses on “noise” and “fumes” as creating activities which create compatibility problems.

Aerial photographs of the property also show that the location of the heliport is in violation of the Public Trust Doctrine which the DEP is mandated to enforce pursuant to Chapter 81, C. 13: 1D-150 1(d)-(f),.

Because Blade has publicly announced that they are in operation, we request urgent action.

Thank you.

Elise Morrison
President
Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy
www.hudsonriverwaterfront.org

CC:
Vivian Fanelli, NJDEP
Janet Stewart, NJDEP
HRWC Board