The mysterious drones which were plaguing the skies over the Northeast shut down the runways of Stewart Worldwide Airport Friday night time, prompting Gov. Hochul to demand the feds step in.
“This has gone too far,” Hochul mentioned in a terse assertion Saturday, during which she famous the runway of the Orange County facility was shut down for an hour due to the unidentified plane.
Stewart Airport providers each business and navy flights and is adjoining to a New York Air Nationwide Guard base, the place the a hundred and fifth Airlift Wing is stationed.
The unidentified drones — which have been hovering over New Jersey for almost a month and have been seen in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts — have been additionally just lately noticed flying over LaGuardia Worldwide Airport and Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport.
The Biden Administration provides federal legislation enforcement help to the area “to make sure the protection of our crucial infrastructure and our individuals,” Hochul demanded, including she “directed the New York State Intelligence Middle to actively examine drone sightings” again in mid-November.
She additionally urged the state police “to coordinate with federal legislation enforcement to deal with this problem.”
Whereas “these efforts are ongoing,” Hochul mentioned it’s time for Congress to take motion.
“As a way to permit state legislation enforcement to work on this problem, I’m now calling on Congress to go the Counter-UAS Authority Safety, Security, and Reauthorization Act, first launched again in June by Rep. Mark Inexperienced (R-TN).
“This invoice would reform authorized authorities to counter-UAS and strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones, and would prolong counter-UAS actions to pick out state and native legislation enforcement businesses,” she wrote in her assertion. Counter-UAS stands for “counter unmanned plane system.”
“Extending these powers to New York State and our friends is crucial. Till these powers are granted to state and native officers, the Biden Administration should step in by directing further federal legislation enforcement to New York and the encircling area to make sure the protection of our crucial infrastructure and our individuals.”
Drone sightings have additionally been reported throughout the 5 boroughs in addition to on Lengthy Island.
Many of the sightings have occurred in New Jersey, the place scores of drones have been noticed by Coast Guard sailors and native cops.
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