Gottheimer urges NJDEP to halt Aeroflex Airport hangar evictions

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer toured Andover-Aeroflex Airport and called on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to halt eviction notices issued to the airport’s tenants.

Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., said he is sending a letter to Gov. Mikie Sherrill and NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak urging the state to rescind the notices and work with airport tenants, local officials and his office on a plan to keep the businesses at Aeroflex.

“I’m frustrated, and so are the people standing next to me,” Gottheimer said. “I’m not going to let you guys get thrown out. It’s not happening. We’re going to fight this thing.”

The eviction notices were issued to several aircraft owners, as well as Andover Flight Academy and its aircraft maintenance operation. The flight school trains pilots, including military pilots, to land on short runways and in open fields.

Gottheimer questioned the NJDEP’s stated reasons for the evictions and called for greater transparency from the agency. He said his office has repeatedly requested information and a timeline from the department.

Gottheimer also disputed the state’s assessments of the airport’s hangars. He said an NJDEP engineering assessment estimated about $4.7 million in renovations and $8 million for demolition, while a separate licensed engineer who inspected the property estimated targeted repairs at about $267,000.

According to Gottheimer, the NJDEP has cited the condition of the hangars and the need for additional space for the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. He questioned those explanations after touring the facility, saying he found working water and what appeared to be available space in the Forest Fire Service’s designated hangar area.

Gottheimer urged Potosnak to tour the facility with him and called for no evictions until the state establishes a clear timeline and develops a plan that addresses the facility’s needs without displacing the airport’s small businesses.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association also has opposed the evictions, warning that the loss of hangar tenants could threaten the airport’s future.

State Sen. Parker Space and Assembly members Dawn Fantasia and Michael Inganamort, all Republicans representing Sussex, Morris and Warren counties, also opposed the evictions. In a statement, they urged the NJDEP to put the notices on hold while considering an outside entity to manage the airport.

They said reducing services at one of Sussex County’s two remaining airports would not serve the county’s residents.