Clark County faces possible delays in airport upgrade work

WASHINGTON -- Clark County faces possible delays on two airport improvement projects because it does not appear Congress will pass a major aviation bill this year, officials said Wednesday.

Republicans in the Senate this week blocked consideration of a bill to reauthorize the workings of the Federal Aviation Administration through fiscal 2011. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the maneuver effectively killed the bill.

"I am sorry to say it will not happen this year," Reid said in a conference call with Randy Walker, Clark County aviation director, and Krys Bart, president of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.

Walker said the FAA bill would have freed up grants for Clark County to move forward with several slated upgrades.

A $7 million grant to finance the burial of above-ground power lines near North Las Vegas Airport is on hold, according to Chris Jones, public information administrator for the county aviation department.

The county further was awaiting approval for a $1 million FAA grant toward construction of a new apron at Henderson Executive Airport, Jones said. The county expects to hear in June whether the money is on the way, and if not the project could be postponed or scaled back, he said.

Walker said he was concerned that inaction on the FAA bill will delay deployment of the multibillion dollar Next Generation Air Transportation System, also known as "NextGen." The system based on satellite navigation would replace current air traffic controls.

"We can have perfectly fine weather at McCarran but if there is no space at 33,000 feet, our planes cannot take off," Walker said, "The congestion in the upper air space has got to be resolved, and NextGen is what is going to do that for us.

The Senate on Tuesday voted 49-42 to end debate and vote on the FAA bill, but 60 votes were needed. Reid voted to move to the bill, while Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., voted against it.