This is the VFR Terminal Area chart for the airports in question, Teterboro is due north of EWR, http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=40.692&lon=-74.169&zoom=10 ht

This is the VFR Terminal Area chart for the airports in question, Teterboro is due north of EWR, http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=40.692&lon=-74.169&zoom=10 http://vfrmap.com/?type=vfrc&lat=40.692&lon=-74.169&zoom=10 and an object near TEB at 3500' is inside the Class B airspace which requires positive control (not merely radar contact, not merely radio contact, but you must have a clearance or you cannot enter class B). TEB is also within 12 miles of EWR, and that's inside the departure/arrival path for EWR's main north south runways. Aircraft inside class B have a guarantee of positive separation by ATC. Everyone has to follow very specific rules in that airspace. And any aircraft that is not under positive control is a threat to all other aircraft. Anyway, it is definitely not an overreaction. Also with the government shutdown, I expect there's next to no one available from FAA or NTSB to do a thorough investigation, most inspectors are not categorized as essential.