Griffiss Air Tower To Remain Open

The Griffiss Air Control Tower, previously slated to be closed because of federal furloughs, will now remain open, at least for the time being.

United States Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is announcing that the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 will allow the Federal Aviation Administration to transfer enough money to curtail employee furloughs in order to keep open the towers identified as "low activity contract towers." The towers, previously scheduled for closure in June, will now remain open at least until the end of the 2013 fiscal year, which ends in September.

Despite the fact that the tower at Griffiiss is identified as "low activity" by the federal government, Congressman Richard Hanna stresses the importance of the base for providing Mohawk Valley jobs, and says that now that the fiscal fire is temporarily extinguished, he will work now to keep the tower open indefinitely.

In a written response to the news Congressman Hanna said, "Successes in Washington are rare these days, but I consider this one of those occasions. After numerous letters, contact with the FAA, and support of the Reducing Flight Delays Act, I am pleased to see that they heeded our call to keep the tower open until September. Now, we’ll push to see it remain open permanently.”