Tweed New Haven Airport announces new agreement on expansion framework

Connecticut officials have reached a new framework for moving forward on a proposed east side terminal at Tweed New Haven Airport after years of conflict over the project, but the plan still faces major legal, legislative, and local hurdles.

New Haven, East Haven, the airport authority, and the airport have agreed to a memorandum of understanding that lays out a path forward for the proposed terminal on the east side of the airport.

The agreement includes proposed state funding for both municipalities, stronger East Haven representation on the airport board and a higher approval threshold for major projects such as runway expansion and campus access changes.

Read the release announcing the agreement for specific details:

The proposed terminal has been at the center of a fight for nearly six years.

The project would be built on East Haven land, and the town has pushed back on the project for years, including through an active appeal of the FAA’s finding of no significant impact. As part of the agreement, East Haven now says it will abide by what the court decides.

In an interview, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker called the agreement a major step: “This is a big moment.”

Elicker said he and East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora spent significant time working through concerns about the project.

“Mayor Carfora and I have worked really, really hard and frankly spent a lot of time building trust and hearing each other out about our concerns,” Elicker said.

Ed Sabatino, Assistant Director of Administration & Management for the Town of East Haven, said in an email that Carfora was declining an on-camera interview citing the active appeal litigation.

Sabatino pointed to the mayor’s statement in the joint agreement press release.

“This framework reflects how the process has evolved,” the East Haven mayor wrote. “We now have a clearer structure for how the proposed East Terminal Project will be evaluated and what standards will apply to mitigate impacts in East Haven.”

He also clarified that the MOU is not an approval of the project, which is subjected to formal review by the Town’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

“That process will be independent, evidence-based, and carried out in accordance with all applicable legal standards. Our boards and commissions will act strictly within their fiduciary obligations to the Town and its residents, and will require that any project fully satisfies all applicable standards and protections before it is permitted to proceed,” he wrote.

Read East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora’s letter to residents:  

According to the federal data, Tweed saw 1.4 million passengers between arrivals and departures last year. That’s up from 41,000 in 2021. The increase is driven by Avelo Airlines’ use of the airport.

Traffic has been one of the biggest concerns surrounding the airport as passenger volume has grown.

Under the proposed agreement, traffic would enter through Proto Drive in East Haven and likely exit through New Haven at the existing entrance at Burr St and Fort Hale Rd, Mayor Elicker said.

That proposal is subject to further review, with a secondary option being Dodge Ave to the North, with a diversion of traffic in to one direction.  

To make the entrance and exit configuration possible, a long driveway would need to be constructed along the airport’s campus.

Elicker said some of the traffic and access concerns are tied to the airport’s current layout, which doesn’t have enough room for easy pickups and drop-offs.  

“A lot of the challenges associated with the airport are because of the current airport design that will be addressed with the future airport construction,” Elicker said.

Under the agreement, the Town of East Haven would also see $40 million in state funding for public safety facilities, subject to legislative approval, along with a statutorily protected annual payment in lieu of taxes (“PILOT”) of $4.4 million to East Haven and $2.9 million to New Haven, indexed to inflation.

The agreement also includes an approach to noise mitigation and monitoring, among a host of other line items for infrastructure.

The agreement is also drawing political pushback.

State Rep. Joe Zullo (R-East Haven) called the announcement of an agreement “a frustrating one.”

In an interview, he said the frustration is on behalf of residents who don’t have an opportunity to publicly comment on the framework at the local or state level.

“The fact of the matter is, our local town council could very easily have put this on the agenda for a public hearing or to be voted upon, and it’s not doing that,” Zullo said.  

At the state level, because officials are looking to seek lawmaker approval on the proposed state funding during this session, it will likely not appear before a committee or have a public hearing.

“We’re talking about site plans and zoning plans. This is about the structure of this deal, residents should have the opportunity to weigh in on whether $40 million is enough, whether PILOT money is enough, as if money could make our community whole again,” Zullo said.

“This is transformative change. This isn’t just about dollars,” he said.

Representative Zullo underscored that he has been “aligned” with Mayor Carfora trying to “stand up for the best interests of Tweed.”

“While he and I may have different angles today, I don’t think that changes the fact that he and I agree that we’re both looking out for our residents’ best interests,” he said.

Read representative Zullo’s open letter here:

Several steps remain before the terminal project could move forward.

The federal appeals court still must rule on whether there would be a significant impact.

The state legislature also must respond to the proposed funding package.

If both of those go the airport’s way, the terminal proposal would still need additional approvals, including East Haven’s Planning and Zoning Committee.

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