FAA to close control towers

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Federal Aviation Administration finalized a list of 149 control towers , including 12 in Texas, which will close beginning on April 7.

Towers in New Braunfels, Georgetown and San Marcos are included on the list.

In an attempt to deal with sequestration, the FAA will close 149 contract towers over a four week period.

Other Texas airports listed include: Brownsville-South Padre Island International, Collin County Regional in McKinney, Dallas Executive, Easterwood Field in College Station, Sugar Land Regional, Stinson Municipal in San Antonio, TSTC Waco and Tyler Pounds Regional.

Arlington Municipal was previously listed for closure, but will now remain open. The airport joins 23 others across the country that will stay operational due to nation security concerns.

Fort Worth Spinks and Grand Prarie Municipal will be allowed to remain open until September 30 as part of a cost-share program .

The American Association of Airport Executive said the massive tower shutdowns pose serious safety, efficiency and economic concerns.

“Over the past few decades, the FAA has closed only a handful of air traffic control towers, yet the agency is now committed to closing 149 contract towers beginning on April 7,” U.S. Contract Tower Association executive director J. Spencer Dickerson said.

“Contract towers have long been an integral part of the FAA’s system of managing the nation’s complex airspace, and the decision to shutter these critical air traffic control facilities on such an unprecedented and wide-scale basis raises serious concerns about safety, both at the local level and throughout the aviation system,” Dickerson added.