Queens Borough President Helen Marshall forecast concerns, Wednesday, June 24th about a proposed plan by the federal government to consolidate operations of meteorology stations that provide weather forecasts to local air traffic controllers.

“As the President of the Borough of Queens, home to LaGuardia Airport and JFK international Airport, I am concerned about a planned consolidation of stations operated by the National Weather Service,” said Marshall.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plan calls for the closure of 20 regional stations, including one on Long Island. Marshall told U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in a letter that the Long Island office “serves New York City’s heavily-traveled, very busy airports.”

Marshall said that in the wake of the plan, it is her understanding that nationwide meteorological services would be provided from Maryland and Missouri. “While the FAA might have concluded that only two such stations are adequate to meet the meteorological needs of air traffic controllers and pilots, simple common sense tells us that local weather facilities, situated near particular airports, are better equipped to observe and report certain weather occurrences as the need arises.” wrote Marshall. And, she added, “I fear that this plan, if implemented, might make it more difficult for pilots, and the air traffic controllers who help to guide them, to deal with or avoid potentially hazardous weather conditions.”

Marshall has asked the FAA and the National Weather Service to provide her with a complete explanation of why the consolidation plan is necessary. “We need assurances that this plan will not in any way jeopardize the quality of meteorological services available to aircraft and pilots using our airports,” said the Borough President. “Without these things, we oppose the current plan to eliminate the weather stations.”