A satellite communications engineer and an airport planner were cross examined on the impact the proposed cargo airport would have on the neighboring Service Electric Cablevision station during Wednesday's hearing before the Schuylkill County Zoning Hearing Board for a special exception request.
Gladstone Partners LP, Pittsburgh, intends to build the cargo airport on a property that falls within 1.6 miles of a SECV station with 12 satellites in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. The airport property also extends into Kline and East Union townships, Schuylkill County.
The witnesses, Philip A. Rubin, a licensed professional in telecommunications and satellite engineering, and president and CEO of RKF Engineering Solutions LLC, Washington, D.C., and Edward Nasuti, a licensed consulting engineer and registered land surveyor and president of Lee Simpson Associates Inc., Dubois, were presented by Rob Sensky, an attorney representing Service Electric Cablevision, during the March 1 hearing.
Wednesday was a chance for attorney Frederick J. Fanelli, representing Gladstone during the hearings, to cross examine the two witnesses, starting with Rubin.
Restating what he said previously, in his testimony Rubin said that all the satellites at the station point south and southwest, directly toward the proposed cargo airport. He also said there are three things that could potentially disrupt SECV satellite reception.
The first is a plane flying through the signal. The second is the radar on planes during takeoff and landing. The third is the radar from the airport.
Previously Nasuti said this is the first time he has seen the issue of a proposed airport interfering with a cable provider come before a county zoning board.
After both witnesses were questioned, including with rebuttal by Fanelli, the hearing ended with a tentative date scheduled for the hearing to continue at 7 p.m. May 3 in courtroom No. 1 at the county courthouse.
At that time the floor will be open for any person with standing or concern to be heard.