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ACP Calls for Public Hearings in the Next Legislative Session
The Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee has canceled the November 13 public hearing on the Pennsylvania Aviation Investment and Reform (AIR) Act at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, along with all related events, citing unforeseen circumstances, including a potential nor’easter.
We are extremely disappointed by this decision. Individuals and organizations from across Pennsylvania and the country had committed considerable time and resources to preparing testimony and traveling to participate. With the legislative session ending, that opportunity has been lost.
Led by Senator Dan Laughlin (SB 1365) and Representative John Inglis (HB 2641), the AIR Act garnered 18 Senate cosponsors from both political parties.
We are calling on both the Senate and House Transportation Committees to hold public hearings as soon as the next legislative session begins. Aviation investment must be part of the upcoming state budget process, before funding decisions are made.
Whether you support the AIR Act, oppose it, or have concerns about its provisions, your voice deserves to be heard. These discussions should not take place solely behind closed doors.
Why Aviation Investment Cannot Wait
Pennsylvania’s aviation system includes 643 aviation facilities and 118 public-use airports. Only roughly half of our public-use airports are eligible for the FAA’s primary airport infrastructure grants. The remaining airports depend on state investment, airport-generated revenue, and their local communities to maintain safe facilities.
In 2025, our commercial service airports handled more than 42 million passengers and 1.5 billion pounds of air cargo and mail. Our general aviation airports support flight schools, emergency medical flights, law enforcement, utility operations, medical transportation, and businesses across Pennsylvania and the country.
Pennsylvania aviation generated more than $34 billion in annual economic output in 2019, approximately $45 billion in today’s dollars, supporting more than 226,000 jobs.
Aviation infrastructure is public safety. It is economic development. It is good-paying jobs and workforce opportunities. It is access to healthcare, essential services, and the connection between our communities and the global economy.
We proudly support investment in all modes of transportation, but aviation cannot continue to wait.
In the 1930s, Pennsylvania undertook a statewide airport development program exceeding $20 million, equivalent to approximately half a billion dollars today. Today, our two primary annual state aviation infrastructure programs total just $16 million, relying on a funding framework established in 1984 and tax structures rooted in the 1930s and 1950s.
Over the past five years, runway pavement conditions have declined by 12%, and 83% of Pennsylvania’s runway ends have identified obstructions. These are serious infrastructure and safety concerns that require attention.
Federal and local governments cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. We believe the AIR Act offers a path forward through long-term investment in aviation infrastructure, safety, workforce development, and emerging technologies.
The Conversation Must Continue
The AIR Act will be reintroduced in the next legislative session. We encourage everyone to preserve their testimony, share their perspectives, and contact their elected representatives.
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