Lori Trahan

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As opposition to Amazon’s proposed drone hub in Westborough grows, four Massachusetts lawmakers want the company to hold off on the air deliveries until it studies how the flights could affect nearby communities.

In separate letters to Amazon and the Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday, Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Reps. Jim McGovern and Lori Trahan call for an environmental review focused on the Westborough site, along with a chance for residents to weigh in, before the flights begin.

“From noise pollution to fire risks, communities have plenty of reasons to question Big Tech’s plan to fill their skies with drones,” Markey said in a statement. “That’s why my colleagues and I are demanding that Amazon and the FAA study the impact of Amazon’s drone delivery program on Westborough and other Massachusetts communities.”

He continued, “We can’t let Amazon treat our skies like a testing ground for its drone delivery ambitions.”

Amazon hopes to eventually make as many as 1,000 deliveries a day from its facility at 64 Otis St. Its drones could carry packages weighing up to five pounds within a 7.5-mile radius, reaching parts of Worcester.

The lawmakers’ requests center on a July 28 FAA decision that allows qualifying drone delivery proposals to rely on a nationwide environmental review rather than a separate review in each community. The FAA says it can still require a closer look at an individual proposal.

Markey, Warren, McGovern, and Trahan argue that the national review may miss concerns specific to Westborough and its surrounding communities, including noise, effects on wildlife, and the risks of drone battery fires. They say earlier reviews covered no New England sites and did not examine hazardous materials in detail.

The lawmakers also point to local opposition. A voluntary online survey now reports more than 1,500 responses, with 93% opposed to the hub.

Massachusetts has joined 14 other states and Harris County, Texas, in challenging the FAA’s nationwide environmental finding in court.

“Amazon is now trying to quickly move drone operations into Massachusetts under a streamlined regulatory process the state itself is challenging,” the lawmakers wrote.

They’re asking Amazon and the FAA to respond by Oct. 29. If either declines to pursue a local review, they want an explanation and any Westborough-specific analyses behind the decision.

Locally, Amazon’s site plan remains under review. The town Planning Board continued its hearing until Nov. 10, while its Zoning Board of Appeals will consider residents’ challenge to the town’s classification of the drone operation sometime next month.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.

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