ODA reaffirms airport listing

The Oregon Department of Aviation on April 20 reaffirmed its March 7 decision to add Sisters Eagle Airport to Oregon's list of airports of state concern. The department had unwound the initial approval after discovering a substantial amount of written testimony had been left out of the record.

Listing in Appendix M, Exhibit 2, as a privately owned, public-use airport of State concern is based on a narrow set of criteria: Whether the airport provides important links in air traffic; provides essential safety or emergency services; and/or is of economic importance to the county where the airport is located.

Sisters Rural Advisory, LLC, the entity under which the activist group Save Our Skies operates, submitted testimony asking that ODA not approve the listing and take no further action. The group cited concerns over ODA's process, and the recent Oregon Department of Transportation demand for the return of nearly $400,000 in grant funds that had been allocated to the airport for improvements.

They also cited the ongoing issue of a runway "runout" that was built on property belonging to the homeowners association of Sisters Eagle Air Estates, land that may be considered wetlands.

The group argued that it, "create(s) confusion and frustration among the public when one arm of State government, Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA), provides recognition by an upgrade in listing at the same time as ODOT and Division of State Lands (DSL) are conducting significant investigations involving the same airport."

A representative of airport owners Benny and Julie Benson informed The Nugget last week regarding the ODOT demand, that "Since receiving the notification from ODOT the Bensons have reviewed the request and have requested and been granted a meeting with ODOT on May 3, 2017."

The Department of State anticipated making a site visit regarding the wetlands question this week.

ODA has noted repeatedly that the various airport issues are separate and unrelated.

ODA Director Mitch Swecker told The Nugget, "The timing of the results of the investigation by ODOT are coincidental, unfortunately, and therefore could be conflated to be linked to Appendix M/Exhibit 2. Per our legal advice, our job is to follow the law and continue to be fair to all the parties."