Office of Rep. Derek Kilmer announcement.
On May 2, U.S. Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) introduced the Resilient Airports Act, a bipartisan effort to improve emergency and disaster response capabilities at airports nationwide, including those located in rural communities.
The bill would expand the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligibility criteria, enabling more airports to receive funding for crucial infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing resilience against earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. Also, the bill would help to ensure that general aviation airports designated as federal staging areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are eligible for AIP funds.
“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of our airports in times of crisis, particularly for the folks in Washington’s rural communities,” said Rep. Kilmer. “Out on the Olympic Peninsula, airports are the backbone of our emergency response systems – yet they’re not invulnerable to natural disasters or the impacts of climate change. Congress should step up to help guarantee our airports have the resources they need to stay strong and reliable, because when our airports are resilient, our communities are too.”
“In the event of a major earthquake in Oregon, resilient runways will literally be a matter of life or death,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “The federal government must ensure our nation’s airports are prepared to withstand major disasters like earthquakes, floods and other disasters. The Resilient Airports Act will do just that by unlocking essential funding to allow the construction of resiliency projects across the country.”
“Ensuring that airports are prepared in event of an emergency is critical, especially in rural America,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “In California, and throughout the West, rural airports serve as critical infrastructure, allowing wildland firefighters and first responders to act quickly and help those in need.”
Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration provides AIP grants to public agencies – and, in some cases, to private owners and entities – for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.
The Resilient Airports Act is endorsed by the Port of Port Angeles and Port of Portland.
“We appreciate Congressman Kilmer’s leadership on this important issue,” said Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Connie Beauvais. “The Congressman recognizes the important role that rural airports play with respect to medical emergencies, evacuations and disaster preparedness. For the Port of Port Angeles and Fairchild International Airport, this means having funding available to maintain our runway at an adequate length to accommodate lifesaving flights and emergency response aircraft. We look forward to working with Congressman Kilmer to get this legislation signed into law.”
My guess is that this will end up costing these small, local airports too much money and close them. Which is probably the goal. They’re trying to push people out of the county and into these “walk-able cities.”
As a longtime proponent of the use of general aviation aircraft for providing relief workers and supplies and for evacuating folks following disasters, i applaud this initative to help our smaller airports. And little of the costs will be borne by local communities or the states. Typically 90 percent comes from the aviation trust fund, paid for by a small fee on airline tickets and by taxes on aviation fuel. When the great quake comes from a slippage in the Cascadia Subduction Zone hundreds of communities will be isolated because of landslides collapsed bridges, fractured roads, washed out piers and ports, etc. We in the general aviation small plane and business aircraft community are working to be ready to provide those life saving relief flights. We need your airports, including the small ones, to be ready for us to get there. —- Rol Murrow, President, EVAC, the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps
In Clallam County, we established the first DART (Disaster Airlift Response Team) in the State of Washington in 2018. This was due to our proximity to the Cascadia Fault and the anticipated damage it would likely cause creating 21 micro-islands throughout our county cutting most residents off from vehicular traffic to provide relief services prior to arrival of outside relief flights. Using local volunteer pilots and their airplanes and working with trained ground volunteers, we can mobilize immediately in the aftermath of a major disaster or for smaller events. We can deliver much needed medical and other supplies, rescue personnel plus damage assessment flights. This Airport Improvement Plan is crucial to support William R. Fairchild Intl. Airport in Port Angeles as the primary disaster response airport on the Olympic Peninsula. Our airport and our DART are critical in saving lives throughout our 100 mile long County and isolated population when bridges are out.
As one of the leads to the West Coast General Aviation Response Plan we’ve come to realize that airports are absolutely critical life lines after large earthquakes or even other natural disaster events that can eliminate roads and hinder land routes of supply. This truly are vital to recovery efforts and it’s good to see them being further hardened to be able to better withstand what nature might throw at them. Additionally the below link goes to youtube channel on not just drills done for these events but live response to real disasters. This is a very positive thing that is occurring to better prepare this area. https://www.youtube.com/@secondchance111