"O'Hare proposal fades in Congress"

Friday, March 14, 2003

O'Hare proposal fades in Congress 
Airport expansion: Durbin says debate must go to Springfield 
The Chicago (IL) Herald News


  WASHINGTON - Acknowledging its defeat like never before, Sen. Dick Durbin
virtually closed the door Thursday on the prospects of Congress adopting
legislation to help pave the way for expansion of Chicago's O'Hare
International Airport.

  And that news can only help chances for an airport in Peotone, local
supporters say.

  But the victory is not a grand one by any means.

  Durbin, the Senate's chief sponsor of the O'Hare measure, said the
political realities of the opposition led by fellow Illinois Sen. Peter
Fitzgerald dictate that airport supporters have to seek help from the state
Capitol in Springfield.

  With Republican Fitzgerald by his side at a constituent breakfast,
Democrat Durbin explained that the issue of airport expansion has moved from
Washington to Springfield, not out of preference, but out of necessity.

  "It was stopped by my colleague, here, in the Senate," Durbin said in
answer to a question.

  Asked later if he was putting the official nail in the coffin for his
O'Hare legislation, Durbin said, "I don't know how official it is, but it's
my opinion, and things can change, but I think that's the current state."

  The O'Hare legislation was designed to cement into federal law an
agreement reached in December 2001 by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and
then-Gov. George Ryan for a $6.6 billion expansion and modernization of
O'Hare, the nation's busiest airport.

  The bill would not have guaranteed federal funding, but it would have
barred future Illinois governors from using an unusual Illinois law to block
expansion. Illinois law gives the governor the right to veto new runways.

  Daley has said he needs assurance that the state law would not be used by
a governor to block the airport expansion project after billions were
already spent. The O'Hare project could take more than a decade to complete.

  Using the threat of a Senate filibuster, Fitzgerald has opposed the O'Hare
bill in Congress and opposed O'Hare expansion on grounds that many suburban
residents oppose it and that it would jeopardize prospects for a new
regional airport in Chicago's south suburbs, near Peotone.

  Even though local South Suburban Airport advocates have maintained that
O'Hare and Peotone airports would serve different needs and markets, the
news can't hurt.

  "It probably benefits our position, but not to a large degree," said John
Greuling, president and CEO for the Joliet/Will County Center for Economic
Development.

  On the surface, O'Hare expansion would seem to be a direct threat to
Peotone's development. But a closer look reveals that they would not compete
- that they would serve different needs and different passenger bases,
Greuling said.

  Ed Paesel, director of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association,
said the federal legislation had been in jeopardy for months. His main
concern was that if the federal government was to get involved with the
O'Hare expansion, equal consideration would be given toward the Peotone
project.

  "Everything for Peotone is still moving forward," Paesel said. "Land is
still being acquired, and the environmental studies are still moving
forward."

  Durbin had in the past argued that he might find a way around Fitzgerald's
opposition to advance the O'Hare measure, contending that he had more than
the 60 votes necessary to end any filibuster. But Durbin concedes it is a
lost cause now.

  Illinois' new governor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, a strong supporter of
O'Hare expansion, has said he would be willing to have state lawmakers
change the state law so that he or a successor could not stall or undo
O'Hare expansion. A Blagojevich spokesman repeated that Thursday.

  Fitzgerald said through his spokesman that the proper venue for debating
repeal of the state law is the Illinois General Assembly.


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