The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments unanimously approved a resolution yesterday urging Congress to not add slots or change the perimeter rules at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The COG Board is comprised of elected officials from 24 area governments representing nearly six million residents in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
The resolution is in response to a proposal by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation which voted to change the established rules governing the region’s airports and increase air traffic at DCA as part of the Senate version of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act. COG officials note that maintaining the current system will “protect the safety of individuals using DCA, the overburdened air traffic controllers, in addition to avoiding additional stress on DCA’s runway and facilities including roadways, parking, and baggage.”
“COG has a longstanding policy to maintain balance among our three major airports and strongly opposes proposed changes at Reagan National, especially by officials from outside of our region,” said District of Columbia Councilmember and COG Board Chair Charles Allen. “We call on Congress to not interfere with our region's economy, growth, and safety.”
Officials on the COG Board said they are unified in their desire to maintain the current slots and perimeter rules at DCA, allowing Dulles and BWI to continue to grow and serve long-haul destinations. They also commended the region’s four U.S. Senators for their strong, collective advocacy against the proposed changes.
Congress established the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) in 1986, and charged it with operating, promoting, and protecting Reagan National and Dulles International together as primary airports serving the metropolitan Washington area, in addition to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Area officials at COG have steadfastly opposed past efforts to change the airport rules.