PROPOSED RESOLUTION FROM COUNCILOR RIEHLE

WHEREAS, the United States Air Force has selected Burlington International Airport in
South Burlington for the basing and operation of the F-35 aircraft; and
WHEREAS, on September 13, 2013 Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force,
issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA); and
WHEREAS, the FEIS indicates that as a result of operation of the F-35 at Burlington
International Airport some 2,963 households, many of which are located within South
Burlington, will be subject to noise levels that the Air Force acknowledges are
incompatible with residential use of homes; and
WHEREAS, new evidence has come to light that shows that the Air Force did not fully
consider the dangers posed by the crash consequences of the F35 on civilians and
emergency first responders, nor did the Air force consider the dangers to the health and
cognitive development of the children due to the F-35 noise, nor did the Air Force
consider the costs of mitigating the noise of the F-35;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
1. The City of South Burlington wants to work in a cooperative manner with the Air
Force to come up with a solution;
2. The City of South Burlington and its residents have important interests and
concerns arising from the noise impacts and public safety risks presented by the
operation of the F35 at Burlington International Airport and;
3.

The City of South Burlington is concerned that the FEIS did not disclose or
analyze the severity of the risks to the public, including (a) the risks to South
Burlington residents and emergency response personnel that would arise in the
event of a crash from the release of thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals and
particulates from the flammable composite body and flammable stealth coating of
the F-35 when they burn in the fire produced when jet fuel aboard bursts into
flame upon impact of the plane with the ground, (b) the FEIS made no
comparison of the consequences of an F-35 crash with an F-16 crash in a heavily
populated area including the size of the exclusion zone and how many people may
be required to evacuate and for how long and;

4. The City of South Burlington requests that our Congressional Delegation, Senator
Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernard Sanders, and Representative Peter Welch, obtain
federal funds for noise mitigation for the residents of South Burlington, and the
schools in the effected zones, and federal funding for safety equipment and
training for first responders.
Approved this 22nd day of June 2016.

SOUTH BURLINGTON CITY COUNCIL

_____________________________
Helen Riehle, Chair

_____________________________
Tim Barritt, Clerk

_____________________________
Meaghan Emery, Vice Chair

_____________________________
Pat Nowak

_____________________________
Thomas Chittenden





COMMENTSANDPROPOSALFROMCOUNCILORNOWAK

IamopposedtoenjoiningourresidentsinalawsuitagainsttheUSAFforanumberofreasonswhichI
willenumeratebelow.

CouncilorRiehlehaspresentedaprocesstotheCityCouncilthatrequiresexpedientactionwithout
adequateopportunitytomakeatrulyinformeddecision.Whilethecommunityatlargehasbeenaware
ofthislawsuitforsometime,awarenessofthelawsuitandtheintimateknowledgerequiredto
determineifparticipationbytheCityisappropriate,areentirelydifferentmatters.ThereforeI
recommendthecouncilshouldhavedetailedinformationregardingthefollowingoutstandingissues
andbefullyinformedinordertotakethoughtfulactiononthismatter:
WhatarethefinancialobligationsfortheCityintheshortterm?Canthisbecapped?Howwill
requestsforadditionalfundsbehandled?
WouldtheCitybefinanciallyobligatedshouldanappealbeproposed?
Whatsayifany,doestheCityhaveinparticipatinginsuchanextensionofthelawsuitshouldan
appealoccur?
Howarethedifferingbudgetsoftheplaintiffshandled?
Isthereaspecificaccountingavailableregardinganticipatedbudgetaryamountsaswellfunds
spenttodate?
AdetailedresponsefromtheadviserstotheCityslegalcounselastothelikelihoodthatthe
Citywillinfactreceiveanswerstoquestionscurrentlybeingraisedifinfacttheplaintiffs
prevailinthelawsuit?
Whatistherangeofpotentialfindingsoflawthatthecourtcanimposeonthismatter?Are
theregradationsofrequirementsthejudgecouldimpose?
Whatistheeffectofparticipationonprojectsinmotionthatwillrequirepartnershipwithother
communities,institutions,governmentofficialsandresidents?
Whatrelationshipisestablished,assumedorimpliedwiththebeliefsandobjectivesofany
fellowplaintiffuponjoiningthissuit?
WillthisactionhavetheunintendedconsequencesofharmingtheCitysgoodnameand
reputation?

IftheCityCouncildoesinfactdeemthatjoiningthelawsuitisappropriate,duetothesignificanceand
importanceoftheissue,itisimperativethatthemeasurebesenttoacitywideballotvote.

Aspartofthisevaluationprocess,Ibelievethatseriousconsiderationbegiventopursuingnonlitigious
avenuestopursueissuesregardingnoiseandsafetythataresoimportanttothisentirecommunity.We
mustalsorecognizethatthedeadlinefornewpartiesforthislawsuitwasApril29,2015andour
participationisnotguaranteed.

Regardingnoise,Iproposethefollowingnonlitigiousnextsteps:
ContinuesupportingthepursuitofmitigationgrantsfromtheFAAbytheBurlington
InternationalAirport.
WorkwiththeDirectorofAviationatBTVasheassemblesacommitteetokeepopenlinesof
communicationandcollaborativelyworkonissuesrelatedtonoise.

Regardingsafety,Ihavebeenaresidentoftheairportareafor35yearsandhaveacommitmenttothe

safetyoftheairport,theairportcommunityanditsresidents.AdditionallyIhaveknowledgeofthe
extensivetrainingofourfirstrespondersandamconfidentintheirabilitytorespond.Theyaresomeof
thebesttrainedsafetyprofessionalsinthestateofVermont.BTVhasanimpeccablesafetyrecord
commerciallyaswellasmilitarily.

History:DuringmytimeasaCityCouncilor(since3/13)onanyoccasionthatIhavemetwiththeGuards
fireandrescuepersonnel,oranymemberoftheGuardmanagementteamhasattendedaCityCouncil
meeting,questionshavealwaysbeenansweredsatisfactorilywithouthesitationorlackofclarity.

ProposedNextSteps:
SupportourCityManagerscontinuesoutreachtotheVTANGfireandrescue,Vermont
EmergencyManagement,localareafireandrescuechiefsandupdateonsafetyproceduresnow
orinthefuture.Includingthoseupdatesrelatedtoanychangeinaircraft.
AsktheVTANGfireandrescue,VermontEmergencyManagementandSBfirechieftomake
presentationtotheCouncilonoursafetyconcernsasappropriateunderthecitymanagers
behest.
InquirefromVTANGatwhatpointinthestandardprocessofintroducingnewaircraftsisalocal
communityinformedandfirstresponderstrainedonchangestorelevantsafetyprotocolsand
procedures.

Thisdocumentprovidesareasonableapproachtoevaluatingtheappropriatenessofjoiningthelawsuit
aswellasofferinganonlitigiousapproachtooursharedconcerns.

PROPOSEDRESOLUTIONFROMCOUNCILORCHITTENDEN

RESOLUTION
BasingoftheF35atBurlingtonInternationalAirport
SouthBurlingtonCityCouncil

WHEREAS,theUnitedStatesAirForcehasselectedBurlingtonInternationalAirportinSouthBurlington
forthebasingandoperationoftheF35aircraft;and

WHEREAS,thisbasingrepresentsavaluableeconomicbasistosupportVermontsgatewaytotheworld
intothecomingdecades;and

WHEREAS,theUnitedStatesAirForceandtheVermontAirNationalGuardhavebeenforthcomingin
requestsforinformationinasystematic,timelyandthoroughmanner;and

WHEREAS,theCityofSouthBurlingtonanditsresidentshaveinterestsandconcernsarisingfromthe
noiseimpactsandpublicsafetyriskspresentedbyoperationofallaircraftatBurlingtonInternational
Airport;and

WHEREAS,theVermontAirNationalGuardserveandprotectourcity,region,stateandcountrywith
honorandwithoutpausewhichdemandsourgratitude.

NOWTHEREFORE,BEITRESOLVED:
1.TheCityofSouthBurlingtoncontinuestosupportoperationoftheF35atBurlingtonInternational
Airport;and

2.TheCityofSouthBurlingtonrequestsattentionfromourcongressionaldelegationonfederal
programstocontinuetosupportoureffortsandplanningaroundnoisemitigationforbuildingsinclose
proximitytotheBurlingtonInternationalAirport;and

3.TheCityofSouthBurlingtonrequestsattentionfromourcongressionaldelegationtodirectresources
andAirForcetrainingsupporttoreadyourfirstresponderswithtrainingandinformation;and

4.UntildeemedotherwisebytheCityCouncil,theFireandPolicechiefsfortheCityofSouthBurlington
shallreporttotheCityCounciland/ortheCityManageronamonthlybasisonfirstresponderreadiness
forallairportrelatedcontingenciesbothcurrentandprospective;and

5.TheCityofSouthBurlingtonsupportstheVermontAirNationalGuard,theirGuardsmenandthe
familiesoftheirguardsmen.

APPROVEDthis_______dayof____________,2016.

SOUTHBURLINGTONCITYCOUNCIL

______________________________________
___________________________
HelenRiehle,Chair

PatNowak

______________________________________
____________________________
MeaghanEmery,ViceChair

ThomasChittenden

_____________________________________
TimBarritt,Clerk

Emery
RESOLUTION
ARESOLUTIONTOSUPPORTTHEPLAINTIFFSINTHEF35NATIONALENVIRONMENTALPOLICYACT
LITIGATION,Zbitnoffetalv.DeborahLeeJames,5:14cv132
WHEREAS,theUnitedStatesAirForcehasselectedBurlingtonInternationalAirportinSouthBurlington
forthebasingandoperationoftheF35aircraft;and
WHEREAS,onSeptember13,2013DeborahLeeJames,SecretaryoftheAirForce,issuedaFinal
EnvironmentalImpactStatement(FEIS)undertheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA);and
WHEREAS,theFEISindicatesthatasaresultofoperationoftheF35atBurlingtonInternationalAirport
some2,963households,manyofwhicharelocatedwithinSouthBurlington,willbesubjecttonoise
levelsthattheAirForceacknowledgesareincompatiblewithresidentialuseofhomes;and
WHEREAS,whiletheFEISevaluatedthelikelihoodthatanF35wouldcrashupontakeofforlanding,the
FEISdidnotdiscloseoranalyzetheseverityoftheriskstothepublic,includingtheriskstoSouth
Burlingtonresidentsandemergencyresponsepersonnel,thatwouldariseintheeventofacrash;and
WHEREAS,themapscontainedintheFEISindicatethatapublicelementaryschoollocatedwithinSouth
BurlingtonwillalsobesubjecttothesamenoiselevelsandriskswereanF35tocrashupontakeoffor
landing.
NOWTHEREFORE,BEITRESOLVED:
1.TheCityofSouthBurlingtonanditsresidentshaveimportantinterestsandconcernsarisingfromthe
noiseimpactsandpublicsafetyriskspresentedbyoperationoftheF35atBurlingtonInternational
Airport;and
2.Theaforementionedinterestsandconcernshavenotbeenadequatelyaddressedandconsideredby
theSecretaryoftheAirForcethroughtheFEISasrequiredunderNEPA;and
3.TheplaintiffscomplaintsandrequestsinthematterofZbitnoffetalv.DeborahLeeJames,5:14cv
132,representtheCityofSouthBurlingtonsanditsresidentsinterestsandconcerns;and
4.TheCityofSouthBurlingtonfullysupportstheplaintiffsinthematterofZbitnoffetalv.DeborahLee
James,5:14cv132,andwillseekcompensationiftheCitysanditsresidentsinterestsandconcernsare
notmetwithamitigationandmanagementplanthatwillremedytheenvironmentalandfinancial
impactsoftheF35basing.

Offered by Councilor Tim Barritt

RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE F-35 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT LITIGATION AS
AMICUS CURIAE, Zbitnoff et al v. Deborah Lee James, 5:14-cv-132
WHEREAS, the United States Air Force has selected Burlington International Airport in South Burlington
for the basing and operation of the F-35 aircraft; and
WHEREAS, on September 13, 2013 Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, issued a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and
WHEREAS, the FEIS indicates that as a result of operation of the F-35 at Burlington International Airport
some 2,963 households, many of which are located within South Burlington, will be subject to noise
levels that the Air Force acknowledges are incompatible with residential use of homes; and
WHEREAS, while the FEIS evaluated the likelihood that an F-35 would crash upon takeoff or landing, the
FEIS did not disclose or analyze the severity of the risks to the public, including the risks to South
Burlington residents and emergency response personnel, that would arise in the event of a crash; and
WHEREAS, the maps contained in the FEIS indicate that a public elementary school located within South
Burlington will also be subject to the same noise levels and risks were an F-35 to crash upon takeoff or
landing.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
1. The City of South Burlington and its residents have important interests and concerns arising from the
noise impacts and public safety risks presented by operation of the F-35 at Burlington International
Airport; and
2. The aforementioned interests and concerns have not been adequately addressed and considered by
the Secretary of the Air Force through the FEIS as required under NEPA; and
3. The City of South Burlington should take necessary steps to participate as amicus curiae in the matter
of Zbitnoff et al v. Deborah Lee James, 5:14-cv-132, so that the interests and concerns of the City of
South Burlington and its residents will be heard and considered.
4. eliminated
5. eliminated