The city of Cleveland, Ohio, has agreed to pay $200,000 in fines to settle several FAA enforcement issues relating to instances of failure to remove snow and ice from the runways at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Last September, the agency leveled more than $700,000 in penalties against the city for failing to maintain a safe airport during winter weather.
FAA regulations require airports with commercial service to have sufficient and qualified personnel and equipment on hand to carry out runway clearing during severe weather, and the FAA alleges that on numerous occasions in 2014 and 2015 managers at the airport did not do this.
Under the terms of the settlement, the agency agreed to waive the remaining $535,000 in fines if the city adheres to the following conditions: maintaining appropriate staffing numbers, with reports to the FAA twice a year through 2020; documentation of staffing allocated per shift for each winter event; procurement of new and replacement snow removal equipment by 2019; construction of a snow removal equipment storage building by the end of next year; and the establishment of specific requirements for executive management oversight of the snow and ice control plan in the airport’s certification manual by this October.