new airport

With the financing, the Airport Authority has all the permits,approvals and financing to begin construction. However, a temporarystay halting construction was recently issued by the United StatesCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit Court in New York at therequest of Friends of PFN, a recreational pilots group that opposesthe relocation of the airport. In response, the Airport Authorityand the Federal Aviation Administration filed emergency motionsearlier this week asking the court to vacate the stay or hold ahearing on the merits of the case. Phoenix Construction is thegeneral contractor on the project.

"In considering the relocation of our over airport over the past10 years, hundreds of public meetings have been held, and theAirport Authority has received 18 approvals and permits andcoordinated input from 22 federal, state and local agencies," saysAirport Authority vice chairman Bill Cramer, in a preparedstatement. "We believe the tremendous regional transportation,economic and environmental benefits resulting from the relocationfar outweigh the claims of our opponents. This delay is likegrounding the space shuttle at T minus five seconds."