With an eye in the mirror of history over the closing of Chicago’s Meigs Field 20 years ago without a hard enough fight, the National Business Aviation Association and five related stakeholders yesterday challenged the legality of the January agreement between the FAA and the City of Santa Monica allowing the city to first shorten SMO’s 4,973-foot runway to 3,500 feet and eventually close the airport entirely in 2028. This large group of stakeholders want the court to vacate the FAA’s agreement with the city.
NBAA Returns to Court Over Santa Monica
Key Takeaways:
- The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and five other stakeholders have challenged the legality of the FAA's agreement with the City of Santa Monica to shorten Santa Monica Airport's (SMO) runway and eventually close the airport by 2028.
- The petitioners argue the FAA lacked the authority to create the agreement without public input, disregarded numerous mandatory statutory requirements (including ANCA and NEPA), and failed to consider the consequences for local businesses and SMO's role as a reliever airport.
- The group is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to vacate the FAA's agreement with the city, learning from past experiences like the closing of Chicago's Meigs Field.
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