Airport board divided over proposed cargo facility

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000 | 9:14 a.m.

Airport Director Krys Bart asked the Washoe County Airport Authority Board Tuesday to approve $221,536 for an environmental assessment of the proposed cargo development.

The assessment is mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration because construction of the cargo facility in the southwest - the Rewana Farms area - would be a change in the airport's layout plan, airport staff said.

John Farahi, a board trustee and CEO of the Atlantis Hotel-Casino, said he wants to look at the whole cargo concept before funding the assessment.

"I see no reason why we should not use Stead Airport for cargo," Farahi said.

He said staff conclusions that Stead is not appropriate for the cargo center are based on financial considerations only.

But Bart said there are other problems with putting cargo at Stead, such as infrastructure, approach routes and marketability.

"Even if we started tomorrow with all the money we needed, it would take five years to get a cargo center there," Bart said, adding that cargo companies want a built facility now.

Bart said Stead might be a good location in the future, but ramp improvements to handle cargo aircraft in Reno need to happened now.

"The issue is so big we need to approach it logically," Bart said. "We would just be transferring the impacts to a different community."

Farahi asked why there is such a rush to complete the environmental assessment. He said the study should be delayed until after the board's March retreat so they could study the financial implications of moving the cargo to Stead.

The board is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to fund the environmental assessment.

Trustee Larry Martin agreed that the assessment should be tabled until after the March retreat, but he also expressed concern about the delay.

Chairman Geno Menchetti said conducting the assessment did not mean the airport is committed to bringing cargo to the southwest.

"We need to go with the plan we've got for now until we've got a better plan," Menchetti said.

Airport critic Gilbert Weikel said the cargo facility plans should be subjected to a full environmental impact statement, which is much more costly, time consuming and comprehensive than an environmental assessment.