The following information was released by Florida Senator Bill Nelson:
Not long after U.S. Sen. Bill Nelsons meeting in Lakeland, Florida with local airport officials from across the state, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would delay plans to immediately close control towers at 14 small airports statewide. But, the FAA says its still planning to go ahead with the closings in June.
So today, a group of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators - including Nelson unveiled legislation they filed last night aiming to block federal aviation officials from closing 149 air traffic control towers nationwide, including the 14 in Florida, along with six in Connecticut and five in Kansas.
Those are the three states represented by the bills chief cosponsors, Nelson (D-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). The three serve on the Senates Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
The loss of air traffic controllers at these towers poses a real public safety issue and a threat to local business and commerce, said Nelson, a senior member of the committee.
Also, many of the regional airports serve not only business and commerce, but law enforcement, air ambulances and search and rescue operations, as well. Theyre not low-priority operations, Nelson added.
The towers in Florida facing the budget axe are Lakelands Linder Airport, Naples Municipal, Boca Raton, New Smyrna Beach Municipal, Page Field in Fort Myers, North Perry in Hollywood, Leesburg International, Ocala International-Jim Taylor Field, Ormond Beach Municipal, Punta Gorda, Northeast Florida Regional in St. Augustine, Albert Whitted in St. Petersburg, Witham Field in Stuart and Space Coast Regional in Titusville.
Specifically, the lawmakers bill - called The Protect Our Skies Act - prohibits the FAA administrator from closing any air traffic control towers, including both those that are operated by the FAA and FAA contractors.
Meantime, some of the airports have sued to block the FAA's action. And last week, Nelson met with officials from some of Floridas small airports at Lakeland Linder. There, they discussed ways around the closings. The concerns he heard spurred him to introduce legislation, he said.
The first chance to discuss the legislation could come at a Commerce hearing on aviation safety set for April 16.
Following is the text from the legislation:
113TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
To prohibit the closing of air traffic control towers, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
A BILL
To prohibit the closing of air traffic control towers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON CLOSURE OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWERS.
IN GENERAL.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may not, during fiscal year 2013 or 2014, suspend or terminate the operation of any air traffic control tower in operation on March 1, 2013, without regard to whether the tower is operated by the Federal Aviation Administration or a contractor.
RESUMPTION OF OPERATION OF CLOSED TOWERS.
If the Administrator suspended or terminated the operation of an air traffic control tower described in subsection (a) after March 1, 2013, and before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall provide for the resumption of the operation of that tower as soon as practicable after such date of enactment.
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Copyright 2013 States News Service
