Hastings calls FAA Decision to Accelerate South Florida TRACON Consolidation Plan “Reprehensible” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 22, 2006   Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) today wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Marion Blakey reacting to an apparent FAA decision to accelerate the consolidation/co-location of the Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) center to Miami International Airport (MIA). Representative Hastings learned of this decision during a conversation with the PBI National Air Traffic Control Association (NATCA) Local Union President who informed Representative Hastings that some PBI air traffic specialists were recently notified that they should begin making plans for reassignment to the MIA TRACON sometime in 2008, more than one year earlier than Representative Hastings and the members of the Palm Beach County Congressional delegation had been told that such a move may occur. The FAA decision comes just one week after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved an amendment authored by Representative Hastings prohibiting the FAA from implementing its TRACON consolidation/co-location plans in South Florida and throughout the rest of the country. Representative Hastings’ letter to Administrator Blakey follows: --- June 22, 2006 The Honorable Marion C. Blakey Administrator Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20591 Dear Administrator Blakey: I write with great concern about news I recently received from officials at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) about an apparent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision to accelerate the relocation of selected PBI air traffic controllers to the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) center at Miami International Airport (MIA). During a recent conversation with PBI officials, I learned that select air traffic controllers at PBI have been told that they should begin making plans to be transferred to the MIA TRACON center sometime in 2008. This schedule is in direct contravention to the timeframe which my staff and the staffs of Representatives Clay Shaw, Mark Foley, and Robert Wexler were given during a meeting with FAA officials in my office on April 10, 2006. During that 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, on June 14, 2006 the House of Representatives approved House Amendment 1037 to the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill by a vote of 261-166. This amendment prohibits the FAA from using funds in fiscal year 2007 to plan for or implement any TRACON consolidation/co-location plans in the country. The vote made clear that the majority of the House does not support the FAA’s TRACON consolidation/co-location plan and does not want to see this plan implemented. I am astonished that the FAA is not only continuing its efforts to consolidate/co-locate South Florida TRACONs, 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 which represents a view clearly shared by the overwhelming majority of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. 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 on the South Florida TRACON consolidation/co-location timeframe, but also the views of the House of Representatives. I strongly urge you to immediately reverse your decision to accelerate South Florida TRACON consolidation/co-location, respect the wishes of the House of Representatives, and refrain from planning any future TRACON consolidation/co-location in the country. Thank you for you attention to this matter. I look forward to you expeditious response. Sincerely, Alcee L. Hastings Member of Congress ###