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Carroll County Commissioners Approve Airport Runway Extension

carrollcountyairport.com

WESTMINSTER, Md. (AP) - The Carroll County Board of Commissioners has revived plans to expand a runway at the Carroll County Regional Airport, citing the economic development benefits.

The Carroll County Times reports the board voted 3-2 on Thursday to reaffirm its 2007 airport plan, which included the runway extension. The board shot down the extension in January 2012 due to doubts about the benefits.

The project now is estimated to cost $50 million. The Federal Aviation Administration would cover $45 million of that.

Commissioner Haven Shoemaker voted against the project in the past but changed his mind. He says there's evidence that the airport in Westminster has helped create 145 jobs and millions in revenue and personal income.

One company said it would consolidate operations in Carroll if the runway is expanded.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.