PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3881 PRINTER'S NO. 4081
No. 741 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY KILLION, CIVERA AND ADOLPH, MAY 24, 2004
AS AMENDED, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 15, 2004
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Establishing the Commission on the Future of the Philadelphia
2 International Airport, PITTSBURGH AND HARRISBURG <--
3 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
4 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
5 WHEREAS, The Philadelphia International Airport is a true
6 regional asset for southeastern Pennsylvania; and
7 WHEREAS, The Philadelphia International Airport's annual
8 regional economic impact is $7.2 billion; and
9 WHEREAS, The Philadelphia International Airport employs an
10 estimated total work force of more than 21,000 persons; and
11 WHEREAS, The Philadelphia International Airport ranks 17th in
12 passenger traffic, 13th in aircraft operations and 15th in cargo
13 tonnage among United States airports and accommodated 24.7
14 million passengers in 2003; and
15 WHEREAS, Sixty-six percent of the Philadelphia International
16 Airport's passengers are from the local market; and
17 WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration ranks
18 Philadelphia sixth among the eight most delayed airports in the
1 United States, with 44.5 delays per 1,000 operations and with
2 delays twice what the National Plan of Integrated Airport
3 Systems deems acceptable; and
4 WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration found in a study
5 of airport overcrowding that the Philadelphia International
6 Airport is one of five airports nationwide already too crowded
7 for its physical facilities; and
8 WHEREAS, Recent studies into the possible expansion of the
9 Philadelphia International Airport include options which open
10 new runways and redirect departing and arriving flights over
11 areas outside of the City of Philadelphia; and
12 WHEREAS, The plan of the City of Philadelphia for the
13 Philadelphia International Airport forecasts average annual
14 delays, without improvements, to increase to 20 minutes or more
15 per flight by 2010; and
16 WHEREAS, The Federal Aviation Administration labels the
17 Philadelphia International Airport a "pacing airport," meaning
18 that delays created there have a negative impact on the entire
19 national airport system; and
20 WHEREAS, Greater utilization of the Philadelphia
21 International Airport is necessary for the increased commerce
22 and prosperity of the people of this Commonwealth; and
23 WHEREAS, The ability of the Philadelphia International
24 Airport to handle regional air transportation in a reliable,
25 efficient and profitable manner is essential to the long-term
26 economic health and growth of this Commonwealth; and
27 WHEREAS, Increased air activities at the Philadelphia
28 International Airport will generate substantial employment
29 benefits and tax revenues for the entire Commonwealth; therefore <--
30 be it AND <--
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1 WHEREAS, PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND HARRISBURG
2 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ARE VITAL TO THEIR REGIONAL ECONOMIES AND
3 TO THE ECONOMY OF THIS COMMONWEALTH, HAVE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS
4 RELATED TO GROWTH AND SERVICE, AND ARE OF VITAL CONCERN TO THE
5 COMMONWEALTH; AND
6 WHEREAS, THE SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION
7 AUTHORITY IS ALSO VITAL TO THE ECONOMY OF THE PHILADELPHIA
8 REGION AND THE COMMONWEALTH AND HAS ENORMOUS PROBLEMS REGARDING
9 THE STABILITY OF ITS BUDGET AND ITS ABILITY TO MOST EFFECTIVELY
10 SERVE THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE REGION; THEREFORE BE IT
11 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
12 establish the Commission on the Future of the Philadelphia
13 International Airport, PITTSBURGH AND HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL <--
14 AIRPORTS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION
15 AUTHORITY; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the commission consist of nine members who
17 shall be residents of this Commonwealth but who shall not be <--
18 elected public officials; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the membership of the commission be as
20 follows: three members appointed by the Governor, NO MORE THAN <--
21 TWO OF WHOM MAY BE MEMBERS OF THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY; three
22 members appointed by the PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE Senate, <--
23 two from the majority party and one from the minority party; and
24 three members appointed by the SPEAKER OF THE House of <--
25 Representatives, two from the majority party and one from the
26 minority party; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That the members of the commission elect from their
28 membership a chairman; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the commission be empowered to hold hearings
30 and take testimony, including having the ability to compel
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1 testimony by subpoena; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the commission prepare an interim report of
3 its findings by October 1, 2004, and a final report with
4 recommendations to be presented to the Governor, the Senate and
5 the House of Representatives no later than January 30, 2005; and
6 be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the final report include findings and <--
8 recommendations by the commission, including any suggested
9 legislation to allow the Commonwealth and the southeast region
10 to reap the full benefits of a reinvigorated and vibrant
11 Philadelphia International Airport.
12 RESOLVED, THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FINAL REPORT SHALL BE TO <--
13 ASSIST THIS COMMONWEALTH AND THE AFFECTED REGIONS IN REAPING THE
14 FULL BENEFITS OF REINVIGORATED AND VIBRANT PHILADELPHIA,
15 PITTSBURGH AND HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND A
16 REINVIGORATED AND VIBRANT SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
17 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY; AND BE IT FURTHER
18 RESOLVED, THAT THE FINAL REPORT SHALL CONTAIN FINDINGS AND
19 RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
20 TO, THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS:
21 MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL
22 AVIATION ADMINISTRATION;
23 OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE AIRPORTS;
24 CURRENT AIRPORT MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES;
25 PASSENGER AND AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY LEVELS;
26 FLIGHT DELAY FACTORS;
27 ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY IMPACT OF BUILDING AND RUNWAY
28 EXPANSION;
29 MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF AIRPORT PARKING FACILITIES;
30 FLEET AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASING, MAINTENANCE AND
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1 MANAGEMENT;
2 PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES;
3 ACCOMMODATIONS, RETAIL FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION
4 SERVICES FOR THE PUBLIC; AND
5 STRUCTURE AND FEASIBILITY OF REGIONAL AUTHORITY FORM OF
6 GOVERNANCE FOR THE PHILADELPHIA AND PITTSBURGH
7 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS.
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