Advocacy
Watershed Watchers, Inc. is an environmental advocacy grassroots group of citizens working to stop the habitual destruction of our waterways. In our advocacy work, our group has found how extremely difficult it is to get federal and state public records. Public records in a democratic society should be available for every taxpayer to review. Because of the difficulty in obtaining access to the records, Watershed Watchers was forced to hire an attorney so we could follow what was happening, much of it behind closed doors. We were fortunate to get funding from several sources, Freshwater Future, Midwest Environmental Advocates, donors and pro bono work from a supportive law firm.
In May 2002, our group objected to the fabricated number of operations given in the Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA), 58,000 operations for that year, which was an estimate. Those people who frequently pass the airport questioned the number, and through our own count of takeoffs and landings, we agreed the number was grossly exaggerated. The 58,000 operations were extrapolated to the year 2010 by Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission giving an unrealistic need and purpose for airport expansion. Our objections along with many other environmental groups were related, not only to the proposed destruction of the environment, but to the word estimate, which was a footnote in the Preliminary Environmental Assessment.
Fair and Objective EIS Is Promoted at the October 11, 2006 Scoping Meeting
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was announced in June 2005 and a Scoping Meeting wasn’t held until October 11, 2006. Although the FAA Program Manager emphasized the EIS would be fair and objective, the EIS meetings that have followed did not meet the fair and objective criteria. They were examples of the proverbial stacked deck and why a democratic society needs attorneys. At the Telecom meetings and the meetings in West Bend, there were representatives from the City and WIS Department of Transportation, the FAA program manager, and those from the EIS contractor, Crawford Murphy & Tilly. There were no representatives from the opposition viewpoint.
Watershed Watchers believes the initial premise of being fair and objective is compromised when the EIS contractor is collecting data from the same people who were responsible for submitting estimates and questionable information at the onset of the airport expansion plan in 2002. The numbers and names of companies interested in using the airport are being withheld because it is proprietary information. You can be the judge of fair and objective information by reading the minutes of the EIS final meeting. To review the full Meeting Minutes of the February 12, 2008 meeting, click here.
Data Collection Activities for Purpose and Need/Forecasts from the FINAL Meeting Minutes of the Environmental Impact Statement meeting from February 12, 2008. Laura Sakach and Bruce Jacobson met with Jim Retzlaff and Craig Davenport of West Bend Air on January 31, 2008 to collect data regarding existing and potential future activity at West Bend Municipal Airport. Craig provided some background information on how West Bend Air currently operates out of West Bend. Craig is compiling additional data including fueling records, airport activity records during FBO operating hours, and West Bend Air's charter activity records. Jim indicated that there are a number of businesses that fly into West Bend or have indicated an interest to use West Bend. However, because of proprietary information or because of the possible boycotting from opposition groups, Jim prefers not to share specific business names. Dan indicated that corporate names are not important, but the aircraft types and trip lengths would be helpful. Jim will provide a list of the aircraft types that currently use or have indicated a desire to use the West Bend Municipal Airport.
Need and purpose for airport expansion is collapsing
Just how many companies are interested in using the West Bend Airport?
The airport manager has consistently refused to name the companies interested in using the West Bend Airport because of proprietary information. Of course, Jim Retzlaff would say there are many waiting with jets to come to the airport in West Bend; he is the airport manager. But Watershed Watchers knows the jet owned by Prescott, Kreilkamp, and Killian has been moved to northern Illinois where there are more leasing opportunities than what is available in the West Bend area. The Lear 35 jet has been moved to Fond du Lac for greater opportunities for business.
The economy appears to be playing a role in the lack of interest in the West Bend Airport expansion.
Click here to view the following Torinus Survey results. This survey demonstrates what Watershed Watchers has known since 2001. Companies were closing or moving out of the area. And now we are in an oil crisis and many companies are reconsidering the cost of owning a big corporate jet.
It is obvious in the Torinus survey, there are few companies interested in using the airport for business more than two or three times a month. From the Survey it appears that the need is more for pleasure.
The Question: How many taxpayers are willing to pay for airport expansion if it is going to be used for individual pleasure trips? Eminent Domain is for the benefit of all.
Click here to go to Little Known Facts about the Airport Expansion