NATCA & FAA Collaborative Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Workgroup Meets for First Time

NATCA representatives are a part of a collaborative Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Workgroup with the FAA. The BIL – technically the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – is the legislation that will allow a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure. The BIL includes $5 billion for repair and maintenance in addition to replacement of FAA owned air traffic control facilities. The legislation also invests $20 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies. This $20 billion includes funds for repair and maintenance as well as replacement of airport-owned towers. 

NATCA’s representatives on the BIL Workgroup are Executive Vice President Andrew LeBovidge, Chief of Staff Dean Iacopelli, Region X Vice President Brad Davidson, National Program Management Organization Office Rep Dan Hamilton (San Francisco ATCT, SFO), NATCA Director of Safety and Technology Tom Adcock, and NATCA Deputy Director of Labor Relations Akua Brempong-Smith.

This week, the BIL Workgroup had its first meeting. During this meeting, the FAA briefed the group on the methodology that the FAA intends to use to make decisions about how to allocate these resources. NATCA’s representatives on the BIL Workgroup will collaborate on that distribution of funds and other aspects of this process. Last year, NATCA surveyed all local presidents to create a prioritized list of maintenance and construction needs. NATCA will make sure this priority list is included in these discussions.