Sun, Jun 25, 2006
Says FAA Moved Date Up In Retaliation
Slapped in the face.
That's how Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) feels just a week after
celebrating House adoption of his amendment to the Department of
Transportation's funding bill that would block the
consolidation of FAA radar facilities in urban areas.
Not only is the FAA snubbing its nose at Hastings amendment, he
says, it is moving up the date of the planned consolidation.
Hastings (right) says he learned of an apparent FAA decision to
accelerate the consolidation of Palm Beach International (PBI)
approach control with Miami's Terminal Radar Approach Control
(TRACON) from the local union president of the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association (NATCA).
The NATCA rep said several PBI air traffic workers were told by
the FAA to make plans for reassignment to the Miami TRACON sometime
in 2008, more than a year earlier than the FAA told Florida
congressional delegates such a move might occur.
In a Thursday, June 22, letter to FAA Administrator Marion
Blakey, Hastings wrote, "During that [April 10, 2006] meeting, our
offices were guaranteed that no TRACON-related personnel moves in
South Florida would occur until 2009 at the absolute earliest.
"As you know," Hastings continued, "[Amendment 1037] prohibits
the FAA from using funds in fiscal year 2007 to plan for or
implement any TRACON consolidation/co-location plans in the
country.
"I am astonished that the FAA is not only continuing its
efforts... but actually accelerating the move at PBI. I certainly
hope that this decision is not an attempt by the FAA to levy
political retribution at me for authoring the aforementioned
amendment.
"It is absolutely reprehensible that the FAA continues to act in
such fashion, dismissing and ignoring not only the commitment that
your staff made to mine... but also the views of the House of
Representatives."
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