Feb. 22–WILLIAMSTOWN — Morgantown officials expressed their desire for a longer airport runway during a meeting with Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, and Deputy Department of Transportation Secretary John Porcari on Tuesday.

The two federal officials appeared at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport to discuss Essential Air Service (EAS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with airport representatives from across the state.

“Our runway length is becoming a critical issue to us,” Morgantown Municipal Airport Director Michael Clow said.

He said the runway length has limited the type and size of aircraft that can land in Morgantown.

He said the extension is for more than just WVU teams, or their opponents. It is also needed because of the growth in industries, such as Marcellus shale, the area has seen.

Morgantown’s airport was recently in Congress’ crosshairs. A proposal had been made to change the criteria for EAS funding. Those changes would have left the airport without the federal subsidy used to get commercial air service to rural areas. Rockefeller fought for the airport and a compromise was reached with criteria that spared Morgantown.

The compromise also created a longterm funding model for the FAA. It had been operating on a series of short-term extensions. The new bill provides funds through 2015.

Porcari said the department works with airports on their master plans and there are funds available for expansion projects through the Airport Improvement Program. That fund focuses on smaller and medium sized airports. “Morgantown is a great example of a very successful plan,” Porcari said.

Clow said the airport is working on its updated master plan, which is about 85 percent complete. From there, it can begin the process of trying to lengthen its runway.

It would cost $85 million to $100 million and three to five years to lengthen the runway to 7,000 feet from about 5,200 feet, Clow said. The city is also considering a length somewhere in between. Porcari said The Department of Transportation was aware of the threat to Morgantown’s funding and commended Rockefeller’s work in saving it.

“Transportation is economic development,” Porcari said. Rockefeller said the new bill sets up the EAS for funding for the foreseeable future.

“We got a good, solid EAS base now,” he said.

Economic development in the state has shifted from the south to the north, Rockefeller said. The aviation industry is also responsible for providing jobs to roughly 10 million Americans, he said.