FAA Administrator Agrees Process Should Be Locally Driven
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Henry Berman (D-CA) hosted a Capitol Hill meeting today with FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, representatives of the Cities of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Los Angeles and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Commission to discuss solutions to the Burbank Airport dispute.
"The fact that we had this meeting - with all the Cities, Burbank Airport and the FAA represented - is significant," Rep. Adam Schiff said today. "We presented a unified front to the FAA Administrator and made our case that any decision making-process pertaining to Burbank Airport should be locally driven. There is definitely a strong consensus in favor of reaching an agreement on a new terminal. As a follow up to the meeting we will be submitting a proposal to the FAA that will outline the stakeholders' plan of action regarding the future of Burbank Airport and include requests for specific types of FAA involvement."
The Capitol Hill meeting was arranged following a tri-city meeting on December 4, 2002 at which the City Councils of Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena agreed to seek a joint meeting with Administrator Blakey to discuss how best to achieve comprehensive, consensus resolution to the long-standing controversy regarding the Burbank Airport. At the same time, U.S. Representatives Schiff, Sherman, Berman and Waxman jointly wrote to the FAA Administrator to request a meeting, and to reiterate their support for a curfew and other noise abatement measures.
During the meeting, Administrator Blakey agreed that the resolution should be locally driven and offered to be of assistance. The Administrator stopped short of agreeing to assign a high-level staff member to participate in the on-going discussion - one goal of the meeting - but expressed a willingness to consider a more detailed proposal for FAA involvement.
"We need to continue to resolve the airport issue while the window of opportunity is still open. As the Administrator made clear, it will not be for long," Schiff said. "But with each of the cities pulling together and appropriate help from the FAA, this issue may be resolved once and for all."
Rep. Adam Schiff represents California’s 29th Congressional District, including the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.