FAA: Closing L45 not an option

The FAA rejected an apparent request to close Bakersfield Municipal Airport (L45) sent by the mayor of Bakersfield, Calif., on January 5. The mayor’s letter asked the FAA to waive all deed and grant assurance obligations and indicated that the city wished to sell the land to developers to use for non-aeronautical purposes. Through 2004, federal funding of the airport totaled more than $10 million, including $2 million used to buy the airport.

In its response to the mayor, the FAA concluded that closing the airport would not result in a net benefit to U.S. taxpayers of more than the $10 million invested so far. The airport remains an important part of the Bakersfield-area airport system, is in excellent condition and the city has improved the airport in recent years, a position, the FAA noted, that is inconsistent with its desire to close the airport.