FAA Approves Maverick County Memorial International Airport 20 Year Master Plan
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu and County Commissioner Precinct 3 Olga Ramos announced at a press conference held on Monday, February 13, 2023, at the County Commissioners Courtroom in Eagle Pass, Texas that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the 20 Year Master Plan of the Maverick County Memorial International Airport on December 27, 2022, fulfilling a key requisite for Maverick County to become eligible for both federal and state grants for improvements and infrastructure development of the airport.
County Commissioner Precinct 3 Olga Ramos, whose precinct is home to the Maverick County Memorial International Airport, spearheaded Maverick County’s funding of the 20 Year Master Plan by KSA Engineers since taking office. “I am pleased and excited that the Airport 20 Year Master Plan was completed and approved by the FAA on December 27, 2022, allowing Maverick County to proceed with grant funding from FAA and the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division for improving the facilities and runways at the county airport,” Ramos said. Ramos added the airport “is a much needed project in our community…and now we can move forward in applying for federal and state grants to improve the airport.”
County Judge Ramsey English Cantu stated the FAA approval of the 20 Year Master Plan of the Maverick County Memorial International Airport is “a new opportunity for the continued growth of Maverick County,” commending Commissioner Ramos for her leadership and perseverance in obtaining the FAA’s approval of the Master Plan. Cantu noted that the County International Airport “had been in non-compliance for 20 years” with the FAA without having a formal Master Plan approved, limiting the growth of the community. “During the past 20 years, Maverick County lost out on federal and state funding,” added Cantu.
Cantu added that FAA’s approval of the County Airport’s Master Plan is critical for economic development within Maverick County and the region. Cantu noted that businesses and industry in the Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico border require an international airport to fly into and conduct business, travel, and transport freight or products. Cantu added local and international businesses in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras are having to fly to and land in smaller neighboring communities such as Carrizo Springs, Cotulla, and Uvalde because they have better airports in compliance with FAA.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. attended the press conference and stated the City of Eagle Pass supports the Maverick County Memorial International Airport because it is essential to economic development and in attracting new jobs and industries to the community.
Morris Libson, Jr., a newly appointed member of the Maverick County Memorial International Airport Advisory Commission, stated many international companies doing business in Piedras Negras do not fly or land into Piedras Negras, Coahuila and the development of the Maverick County airport is a “golden opportunity for our community to have these companies fly and land in Eagle Pass.” Libson noted that the Maverick County airport is officially designated an “international airport, which not many have that designation.” Libson added that most of the international businesses in Piedras Negras, Coahuila have corporate offices in the United States and own private corporate jets for business purposes. Many of these companies fly into Uvalde, Carrizo Springs or Del Rio because Eagle Pass does not have a quality airport.
Prior to the press conference, Maverick County held a workshop and meeting with the newly appointed Maverick County Memorial International Airport Advisory Commission composed of County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, Commissioner Olga Ramos, Morris Libson, Jr., Rosa De La Garza, and Martin Wall. The Executive Director of the county airport is Raul Perez.
KSA Engineer Chris Munro stated Maverick County and his firm worked for the past year and a half with FAA to develop the Master Plan and get it approved. Munro added that the Master Plan includes a 20 Year Capital Improvement Plan for improving the county airport with a minimum of 16 improvement projects with an estimated overall cost of $33,745,000 at the time the study was completed.
