Menendez Urges Federal Action on Helicopter Safety Six Months After Hudson River Crash

Six months after a helicopter crash in the Hudson River killed six people, Rep. Rob Menendez (NJ-08) is calling for federal intervention to address helicopter safety and noise pollution in New Jersey communities.

In two letters sent October 16, Menendez urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) to take immediate action. He requested a formal investigation into the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight of the helicopter tourism industry, citing safety concerns and regulatory loopholes.

“We have continually raised our concerns directly with the FAA… and have been deeply disappointed with their response,” the lawmakers wrote. “While the FAA claims to prioritize safety, it has failed to hold helicopter tourism companies to adequate safety standards and protocols.”

The request follows the April 10 crash of a Bell 206 LongRanger IV helicopter into the Hudson River, one of several fatal air tour incidents in recent years. The letter, co-signed by seven other members of Congress from New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii, alleges that some companies exploit regulatory exemptions meant for “aerial photography” to bypass stricter safety standards.

In a separate letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Menendez pressed the agency to address helicopter noise as a public health issue, citing nearly 400 constituent complaints in 2025 alone.

“Despite years of engagement… federal authorities have failed to take meaningful steps to address this crisis,” Menendez wrote. “The Environmental Protection Agency must fulfill its responsibilities to address this critical quality of life issue.”

Menendez also asked the EPA to evaluate whether current noise and altitude regulations sufficiently protect public health, and whether the agency plans to develop a strategy in response to increased helicopter traffic from tourism and commercial services.

In May, Menendez and other lawmakers introduced legislation to ban non-essential helicopter traffic in the region and previously called for the grounding of such flights pending safety reviews.