Thu, Sep 15, 2011
Holds News Conference At California's Oakland International
Airport
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt held a news conference Tuesday
in which he urged Congress to approve the continuing resolution
passed by the House Tuesday to fund the agency through January
30th, 2012.
Babbitt selected the Oakland, CA, Airport for the event in part
because of a high-profile control tower project which would be
stopped if the agency is again forced to shut down. "Projects like
this new Oakland air traffic control tower are critical to our
aviation system. Oakland is a gateway—a key facility in a key
location," Babbitt said. "This airport serves about 10 million
people a year. We want to do everything we can to help this airport
and this community continue to provide the highest quality air
transportation."
Babbitt said that in Oakland, stopping construction of the tower
cost about $6,000 each day in rental expenses for scaffolding,
trailers and other worksite equipment during the shutdown which
occurred in August. He cited other examples as well. "In Las Vegas,
the contractor has submitted a claim for $360,000 extra because of
the furlough, Babbitt said. "In Traverse City, Michigan we have
been told we will have to pay at least $75,000 more for the control
tower because the contractor had to remove a crane during the
furlough and then haul it back. This is no way to do business. This
is no way to run the best aviation system in the world."
The House passed a temporary funding instrument Tuesday on a
voice vote. The measure is still pending in the Senate, where it
faces opposition from Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn over
non-aviation-realated provisions in the bill.
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