Rep. Andrews Convinces FAA to Hold South Jersey Meeting on Airspace Redesign

I have succeeded in compelling the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to host an additional informational meeting on the proposed airspace redesign project here in South Jersey. According to the FAA, the meeting has tentatively been scheduled for June 27, 2007 in Cherry Hill, NJ.  I am pleased that the FAA will have the opportunity to hear first-hand the views of South Jersey residents.  South Jersey citizens deserve the right to have their concerns heard and have their questions answered. I want to thank Senators Lautenberg and Menendez as well as Reps. Saxton and LoBiondo for their help on this issue.

My initial request for a separate South Jersey meeting was sent to the FAA on March 29, 2007, but was denied by the FAA even after I met with FAA Administrator Blakey on April 20, 2007 to make a personal request. However, I refocused my efforts after attending the only regional meeting held in Philadelphia on May 1, 2007 where hundreds of individuals, including many South Jersey residents, were turned away at the door. Working in conjunction with my colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which retains jurisdiction over the FAA's funding, I demanded that the FAA reconsider its decision against holding a South Jersey meeting because our concerns were not adequately addressed its only regional meeting.

Given the significant amount of unanswered questions and the adverse impact to the quality of life of South Jersey citizens, I remain committed to stopping the airspace redesign project from moving forward. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA-07) and I recently announced that we had convinced the General Accountability Office to study the economic basis for the redesign project. To date, the FAA has been unable to account for the exact cost of the project. I am hopeful that the GAO's review of the project will demonstrate that it is a waste of taxpayer resources and use this study to kill the project once and for all.

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