In Craig Cox's Minneapolis Observer there is a story that should shake the airport activists out of their lethargy (haven't heard a peep lately). It is the story about a group studying the possibility of adding a huge air cargo facility at MSP. Air cargo moves at night and, if this happens, this will mean noise at absolutely the most sensitive hours. Wonder what happened to the idea of such a facility at Rochester - a much more environmentally suited airport for this sort of things.
"GROUP STUDYING INTERNATIONAL AIR CARGO FACILITY
A committee representing the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the
Minnesota Department of Transportation, and other agencies is studying the
feasibility of building an international cargo distribution center at the
airport and will ask the legislature to include $3 million for that purpose
in its transportation bonding bill.
As Andrew Tellijohn reports in The Business Journal
(http://twincities.bizjournals.com), the Air Cargo Development Steering
Committee hopes to build a $100 million facility that would consolidate
cargo movement from more than 60 locations and possibly lure an
international freight airline to serve the Twin Cities. Most international
cargo now is routed through Chicago.
It takes about six days for Minnesota freight to reach international
destinations currently, and that puts state businesses at a disadvantage,
says Michael Nollan, a retired 3M air freight executive who serves on the
committee. "Big companies have found routes that are working for them.
They've taken the distribution out of Minnesota."
While prying $3 million from a budget-strapped legislature may not be easy
this year, Aaron Jorgensen, director of transportation and logistics for
Fridley-based Medtronic, believes the project would pay off down the road.
"Whatever investment the state makes in going forward with something like
this is going to pay dividends," he says."
Thanks, Craig, for alerting us to this matter.
Jan Del Calzo
Lynnhurst
