In a letter endorsing a study that could lead to a swap or sale of U.S. Bureau of Land Management property for a new Wood River Valley airport, Idaho's four-member congressional delegation also strongly implied that it favors replacing Friedman Memorial Airport.
Signed April 6 by Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch and by Reps. Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick, the letter was sent to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
Friedman Memorial Airport Authority Chairwoman Martha Burke lauded the delegation for its "attention and engagement on the need for a replacement airport." Blaine County Commissioner Tom Bowman, vice chairman of the authority, echoed a similar sentiment. He said he was surprised how quickly the delegation acted, underscoring, he said, how Washington representatives "understand our predicament" and "how important Sun Valley is to the economy of the state."
In the letter, the three Republicans and Minnick, the lone Democrat, mentioned the importance of a "replacement airport" five times and "options for the existing airport" once.
The congressional delegation's implied support is a blow to claims by opponents, many from north Blaine County, that a new airport isn't needed because Friedman's safety shortcomings can be remedied through major reconstruction modifications.
BLM is evaluating some 2,400 acres under its control in southern Blaine County, where one of three proposed new airport sites is located. The locale, site 10-A, is just east of state Highway 75, near the Blaine-Lincoln county line and south of Timmerman Hill. Preliminary discussions have been held with the Idaho Department of Lands about a possible swap of state land near Twin Falls for the BLM land, which would be used for an airport if that site is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.
"We support BLM's efforts," the letter read, "to quickly complete property analysis in tandem with the EIS (environmental impact statement study) in order to allow Friedman Memorial Airport Authority ... to make timely decisions about the replacement airport."
In citing nearly three decades of community discussions about building a new airport, the letter pointed out that "the need for a replacement airport is driven by the fact that the existing airport is unable to meet current FAA airport design standards and by the need to meet existing and future demand for air travel."
