[Vision2020] Standoff Puts Some Airport Construction Projects In Limbo

[Kenneth Marcy]

Standoff Puts Some Airport Construction Projects In Limbo
Posted: Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Congressional stalemate over the debt ceiling isn't the only Washington 
standoff in the news this week. A separate showdown over spending by the 
Federal Aviation Administration is having an immediate effect on jobs and 
airport construction in our region. Correspondent Tom Banse explains.

Since last week, this little noticed budget battle has shut down non-essential 
divisions of the FAA. Airline ticket taxes are going uncollected and the 
federal workers who drive that money back out for airport improvement projects 
are furloughed. In Wenatchee, Washington, airport director Greg Phillips had 
to freeze a federally funded upgrade to airfield lights and signage.

Greg Phillips: "It's frustrating. We're seeing right-left politics interfere 
with the ability to bring the economy back on line here. This is a job that 
brings a much needed capital infusion into the local economy."

Uncertainty about long term funding has also forced the Pullman-Moscow 
Regional Airport to postpone a $3 million runway repaving project. In Everett, 
$11 million in fixes to the runway the Boeing airplane factory uses are also on 
hold. The Congressional standoff comes as Spokane International Airport is in 
the midst of a major runway reconstruction project. The airport director there 
says he plans to use local money to keep the project going temporarily. I'm 
Tom Banse reporting.

Copyright 2011 Northwest News Network

Below is a link to some audio about the story:

http://indemand.nwpr.wsu.edu/NWPR/HomepageArticles/audio/072811Airports.mp3