Counties seek members for airport study commission; Panel will assess effect of cargo facility on the Luzerne/Schuylkill area.
A commission to study the cargo airport planned near Hazleton will have equal representation from the two host counties, Luzerne County Commissioner Chairman Gregory A. Skrepenak announced Wednesday.
The commission will include seven representatives each from Luzerne and Schuylkill counties. It also will have one each from neighboring Carbon and Columbia counties.
There is no timetable for seating the commission, Skrepenak said.
"The proposed cargo airport would have regional impact, and as I considered the study commission, I realized this would be a true opportunity for regional cooperation," he said.
Originally, the commission was to have had 21 members -- seven each from Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill.
Officials realized each county would have unique concerns, said Schuylkill Commissioner Robert S. Carl Jr.
Schuylkill commissioners began seeking applicants for its seats on the commission Wednesday.
Commission members need to have skills and knowledge relevant to the project, Carl said. That includes expertise in engineering, aviation and other areas.
Each county will appoint members from different fields so there will be no duplication, Carl said.
Carbon commissioners Chairman William O'Gurek said he was pleased to have any representation on the commission at all.
"I was happy they saw fit to include us, whether it is one or 21," he said.
O'Gurek said there are questions about flight paths, noise, safety and pollution. But he said if the airport would benefit the region, he wants Carbon to share in it.
The $1.6 billion airport was proposed by Gladstone Partners. Gladstone principal Robert Powell, a Hazleton area attorney, has said he hopes the airport can open in 2 to 21/2 years.
The airport would be near the intersection of Carbon, Luzerne and Schuylkill. The site is mostly in Luzerne but includes part of northern Schuylkill.
Proponents say the project, which has gotten conditional approval for airspace from the Federal Aviation Administration, would create more than 100,000 supporting jobs.
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Reporter Bob Laylo contributed to this story.