Witham Field Opponents Against Bigger Fuel Tank For FBO
Lawmakers have approved plans for a new 20,000 gallon fuel tank
for an FBO at Witham Field (SUA) in Stuart, FL over protests from
airport opponents.
The Treasure Coast Palm reports the Martin County Commission
voted 3-2 to approve the new tank for Galaxy Aviation, in order to
ensure adequate fuel supplies in the event of a hurricane or other
disruption to normal fuel shipments. The FBO currently has the
capacity to store 27,000 gallons of fuel.
FBO manager David Smith noted the additional tank should also
prevent Galaxy from running dry in normal operations; the FBO has
run out of fuel five times over the past three years, forcing
Galaxy to purchase fuel from cross-field rival Stuart Jet
Center.
Not everyone was pleased with the decision, however.
Commissioners Susan Valliere and Sarah Heard questioned the need
for a new fuel tank, siding with area homeowners who claim the new
tank will add even more noisy jet traffic at the airport.
"It is an unnecessary expansion," Valliere harped. "If anybody
is going to be putting a fuel farm at the airport, it should be the
county. The airport needs revenue."
Commissioner Michael DiTerlizzi said the new tank also means
added revenue for Martin County, which collects money on fuel
flowage fees. Galaxy is making the initial investment to install
the tank, he added, though the county will ultimately own the
tank.
Valliere is a familiar voice of airport opposition.
As ANN reported in 2003, she was an advocate
for refusing FAA funding for the airport, stating "one of the only
ways to slow jet traffic is to stop accepting grant money" and
added "The FAA is a demon... It's a branch of the government that's
for aviation. It's not for the people."
In recent years, opponents have honed their efforts to a
singular battle against the FAA on the matter of runway overruns.
The FAA proposed leveling several buildings at either end of the
runway, including homes, an office park, a YMCA and a golf
course... arguing those buildings had been built on land given to
the FAA through earlier development grants.
Opponents countered the main 5,826-foot runway at SUA should be
shortened, to free up land on airport grounds for overrun zones. In
addition to sparing most of those homes and buildings, shortening
the usable portion of the runway would have the added benefit to
NIMBYs of restricting the size of aircraft that could use the
airport safely.
In March of this year,
a Denver attorney retained by the county recommended
commissioners accept a settlement proposed by the FAA,
rather than filing a lawsuit against so-called demonic forces. In
its settlement, the FAA recommended shortening Runway 12-30 at SUA
by 460 feet, to its pre-1998 length of 5,366 feet, in order to
accommodate Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) pads at
either end of the runway to prevent overruns.