CWA Could Be Impacted by Budget Sequestration
UPDATE 2/22/13 5:35pm
NewsChannel 7 reached out to Sean Duffy for reaction on the news the FAA is threatening to cut air traffic control service to Central Wisconsin Airport, among other Wisconsin airports.
Duffy's response:
"The President has discretion on these cuts. This is why I'm so frustrated with Washington. Instead of cutting air traffic controllers at CWA and other public safety services, the President should first cut the F16 jets he is gifting to Egypt; and the $27 million the federal government spends on Moroccan pottery classes; the $2.2. Billion we spend on free cell phones; and the $700,000 spent to study how long shrimp can run on a treadmill. I'll work with anyone to cut this wasteful Washington spending and preserve the services Americans depend on."
EARLIER
The Federal Aviation Administration would be forced to consider closing more than 100 air traffic control facilities, including Central Wisconsin Airport, if there is a budget sequestration on March 1st.
It's part of $600 Million of cuts the FAA is planning if Congress doesn't act to avoid the March 1st cliff.
Tony Yaron, the Airport Administrator at CWA, assures passengers that even if the cuts kick in the Central Wisconsin Airport will not close. If the airport's air traffic control tower shuts down, those duties would be given to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. That means they would be responsible for directing air traffic in our area as well as their own. That increased load would in turn mean more delays for passengers - especially during peak travel hours.
The FAA says they would also eliminate overnight shifts at 60 facilities, and employees would need to take one furlough day per period.
Other Wisconsin airports that could lose their air traffic control include Chippewa Valley Regional, Kenosha Regional, Southern Wisconsin Regional, La Crosse Municipal, Lawrence J. Timmerman, and Wittman Regional.
The full list of locations that could lose air traffic control can be found linked to above.
