U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) recently sent a letter to transportation officials urging the replacement of the air traffic control tower at Tampa International Airport.
The tower is nearly 50 years old and has been structurally deficient for a number of years, Castor said. Problems include cracked windows and rust on the surrounding support beams, water intrusion issues resulting from old and broken pipes, an unreliable and dirty HVAC system, a lack of required emergency exit routes, unreliable elevator transportation, black and brown water in toilets and sinks, and sewage and wastewater odors so pungent they have resulted in controllers taking sick leave.
In 2015, Castor urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to replace the tower, but the FAA chose to make repairs. These hazards pose a danger to the air traffic controllers and could potentially put the flying public at risk, she said.
The Senate recently passed a bipartisan infrastructure package that allocates $25 billion to airports.
“Of that, $5 billion would be available for FAA facilities with an allocation of about $1 billion per year from fiscal 2022 through 2026 for air traffic control and tower equipment,” Castor said.
The letter was sent to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.