2006: A Year of Progress for West Bay

This year we saw tremendous progress in West Bay, with significant positive developments occurring on both the airport relocation / aviation front and the environmental front.

Most important, was the work completed by the FAA.

In May, the FAA delivered its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the airport relocation project, wrapping up nearly five years of study and analysis. The FAA examined all the alternatives open to us for addressing the deficiencies at our airport and concluded that relocation was the best alternative.

The FAA took the time to answer every question and respond to every comment authoritatively. In fact, the final EIS contains three volumes (hundreds of pages) of FAA responses to comments and questions from our community and other interested parties.

In September the FAA issued its Record of Decision (ROD), the final official decision approving the relocation of our airport. In November the NRDC filed a legal challenge to the FAA's ROD. Interestingly, they filed this challenge in New York City, not Florida.

The FAA has an outstanding record of winning these challenges - I believe its something on the order of 21 of 22 challenges successfully defended. (My understanding is that the FAA lost the one challenge on a technicality, not on the merits of the case.)

I am not convinced that the senior leadership of the NRDC is fully aware of the situation here in Bay County. I simply don't believe the leaders of a national organization like the NRDC would knowingly oppose a project with so many environmental benefits while advocating a solution that would destroy hundreds of homes - and protected seagrasses too!

In December, the Airport Authority received the final state permits necessary to begin construction of the airport. A federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is still required, and is expected in early 2007.

The sale of the existing airport is proceeding in a timely manner, and according to Airport Authority members Joe Tannehill and Bill Cramer, they are pleased with the quality and amounts of the bids for the property. Bill Cramer is taking the lead on this aspect of the project on behalf of the Airport Authority. If things go according to schedule, there should be an agreement on the sale of the property in place in early 2007.

Airport Executive Director Randy Curtis has said things are on track for a 2007 groundbreaking for the new airport. That is one thing that could make 2007 even more eventful than 2006.