ARDMORE, OK-- The
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC) voted unanimously to close down
the airport at Lake Murray State Park. The airport landed the number
four spot in Senator Tom Coburn's "Wastebook 2012."
"There just comes a time to do the right thing," said Victor Bird, Director of the OAC.
The
decision to shut down the airport follows a Fox-25 investigation
tracking the money at what some consider a rarely used air strip.
Records from the OAC show the last time any money was used at Lake
Murray State Park Airport was in 2008.
OAC records also show the
money given to Lake Murray State Park Airport was transferred to other
Oklahoma Airports with higher traffic, like Ardmore Municipal Airport,
Duncan Municipal Airport, and Davis Field Taxiway.
Bird says each
airport in FAA's General Aviation Entitlement Program is only allowed
$150,000 each year. He believes the FAA should allow more money to be
given to higher need airports.
"The program needs to be changed to allow us that flexibility," said Bird, "and so we don't need to play this transfer game."
The
business of transferring money from one airport to another has some
pilots, like Darrell Mink with KMA Aviation questioning what the OAC is
doing with taxpayer money. Mink is concerned over the cost of closing
the airport at Lake Murray State Park.
"If you doze it up, that's going to cost you money," said Mink.
Although
the cost of getting rid of the air strip stirs some concern, another
major concern is how much Oklahoma taxpayer money could go to the
federal government in penalties. As the OAC moves forward with closing
the Lake Murray air strip, it could cost Oklahoma $184,000, which is the
total federal investment on the airport.
Bird says the OAC plans
to ask the US Secretary of Transportation for permission to reinvest
that $184,000 into Oklahoma aviation.
Some critics of the OAC are skeptical about how that money will be spent.
"I'm a little leery with the way they've handled the money that they've been given in the past," said Mink.
Mink
says although pilots in the Ardmore area are disappointed to see
another airport close, he has a simple message for the OAC as officials
move forward with their decision.
"Let's make sure we know how
we're going to spend the money wisely, before we do something that's
drastic like closing that airport," said Mink.
The FAA says Lake
Murray State Park Airport is just one of 497 airports under review, if
FAA officials determine the airport is no longer significant to
aviation, OAC will not need to pay back the federal investment. An FAA
spokesman says officials expect to complete the review in late 2013.
Story and Video: http://www.okcfox.com
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