"Peotone Out of New House Plan to Expand O'Hare"

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Peotone Out of New House Plan to Expand O'Hare
Bond Buyer - The American Banker


The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee overwhelmingly
approved legislation yesterday that would ensure the implementation of a
controversial $6.6 billion plan to increase capacity at Chicago's O'Hare
International Airport by adding a new runway and reconfiguring the
airport's other existing runways. 

The measure -- which also would keep open Merrill C. Meigs Field,
Chicago's small downtown lakefront airport -- was approved on a voice
vote after the panel scrapped a provision in the bill that would have
included the construction of a third airport about 45 miles southwest of
the city near Peotone. 

The Peotone provision was left out after divergent regional interests
within the Illinois congressional delegation could not be sorted out,
according to Rep. Mark S. Kirk, R-Ill. 

"At this point the tea leaves were not right to include the Peotone
airport ," said Kirk, who failed to strike a deal that would include
Peotone after attempting to work something out with his colleagues. Kirk
noted that Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Ill., had been instrumental in getting
the Peotone proposal yanked. Officials in Weller's office did not return
phone calls seeking comment.

Dropping the third airport proposal from the bill could create a
considerable roadblock to its ultimate passage, since several members of
the Illinois delegation support the third airport initiative, including
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill. 

Rick Bryant, a spokesman for Jackson, said that the congressman opposes
the panel's newly approved bill and will attempt to amend it and restore
the Peotone provision when it reaches the House floor. The bill could
hit the floor soon after the July 4 recess. 

"It's not consistent with the agreement reached between the governor and
the mayor," Bryant said. "It's clearly anti-Peotone and one-sided." 

But other legislators believe that the measure will be approved in its
current form and that the only possibility to add the Peotone provision
will come after similar legislation pending in the Senate is passed and
the two bills are merged into one. 

"I don't expect significant changes in the House bill," said Kirk, who
nevertheless recognized, "All things are possible in conference." 

The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., which
includes a provision both to expand O'Hare and build the third airport,
is expected to be taken up by the full Senate in the near future. 

However, the Senate bill faces stiff opposition from Sen. Peter G.
Fitzgerald, R-Ill., who wants an airport built at Peotone, but opposes
enlarging O'Hare. Fitzgerald has warned he will stage a filibuster to
prevent a vote on Durbin's bill. 

The legislation, as it was originally introduced, was meant to lock into
place an agreement between Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Illinois
Gov. George Ryan last year. The bill would marry Daley's proposal to
reconfigure O'Hare's runways and build an additional one with two of
Ryan's pet plans -- namely building a third regional airport in the
southwest suburbs near Peotone and keeping open Meigs Field. 

Supporters of the House bill, which was introduced by Rep. William O.
Lipinski, D-Ill., maintain it is needed in order to prevent future
governors from blocking the project. The measure is also vital because
Ryan is not seeking re-election and expansion of O'Hare looms as a
political quagmire for gubernatorial candidates seeking suburban
support. 

"The governor wants to put into law the agreement he made with the
mayor, and we will continue to try to impress that on Congress," said
Ryan spokesman Dennis Cullotin. 

In another development, opponents are mounting another legal challenge
to the O'Hare expansion project. The DuPage County Forrest Preserve
District board on Tuesday agreed to ask a county judge for a declaratory
judgement against any attempts on Chicago's part to secure district
property for the expansion. 

The board's vote came as Rep. Henry J. Hyde, R-Ill., and Illinois Senate
President James "Pate" Philip, R-Wood Dale, filed a lawsuit earlier this
month in the DuPage County Circuit Court to scuttle the O'Hare plan.


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8

*****************************************