Macon Plans to Enter Joint Lawsuit Against FAA

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Nearly 150 air traffic control towers across the country are set to close down on June 15, including the one at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.  In an effort to prevent that from happening, the City of Macon is planning to join a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration.

Tuesday, the Public Properties Committee unanimously approved the move.

Macon will join several other cities across the country in the effort to stop the FAA from closing down towers.  Council members say closing down the tower is simply not an option.

If full council approves the measure at its meeting next week, the city will use its own legal team through the process, which will save them money.  It will cost just more than $200 to enter the lawsuit, and lawyers may also incur the cost of plane tickets throughout the process.  The case will be heard in California.

“I look at this as a win-win,” says Rick Hutto, committee chairman.  “If nothing else, maybe we can at least put off for a while the closure until Congress can get its act together and put money back in the budget.”

Committee members discussed the airport’s close proximity to Robins Air Force Base and cited the safety issue closing down the tower could cause.

The resolution approved Tuesday says by entering the lawsuit, it may allow the city to better protect its interest in maintaining a tower at the airport.