Napolitano Attends Ontario Airport Transfer Ceremony

(Ontario, CA) Yesterday, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-El Monte) joined local residents, stakeholders, and public officials at a signing ceremony marking the official transfer of ownership of the Ontario Airport to local control.

“Congratulations to the Ontario International Airport Authority for this important achievement,” Napolitano said. “This will lead to more flight options, more jobs, and more economic growth in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley. My constituents will greatly benefit from local control, which will facilitate airport improvements based on our regional needs.”

Background:

· After five years of negotiations the City of Los Angeles agreed to transfer its ownership of the Ontario Airport (ONT) to a new airport authority created by the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County.

· The major point in this local agreement was providing for the repayment of passenger facility charges (PFCs) that Los Angeles had collected at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in the 1990s and used to construct a new terminal at ONT.

· The settlement agreement requires ONT to pay back LAX with future PFCs collected at ONT.

· Napolitano coauthored a bipartisan amendment with Rep. Mimi Walters to allow for the transfer of PFCs from ONT to LAX in order to repay the construction loan from the 1990s.

· The Napolitano-Walters amendment was included in H.R. 3614, the FAA Extension Act, which was signed by the President on September 30, 2016.

· Napolitano is the highest ranking California Democratic member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

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