El Paso’s aging air traffic control tower might finally be on its way to retirement, thanks to a new bill from Congresswoman Veronica Escobar that aims to fully fund a modern replacement at El Paso International Airport.
Introduced on Thursday, the legislation is designed to deliver a safer, up-to-date workspace for controllers who manage the Borderland’s unusually complex mix of military, commercial, and binational flights. It also seeks to lock in long-term operational improvements at ELP after years of local lobbying and earlier federal design work to get the project “shovel ready.”
According to a press release from Escobar, the El Paso Air Traffic Control Tower Modernization Act “would provide the funding necessary to replace the aging air traffic control (ATC) tower at the El Paso International Airport.” Escobar framed the tower as critical infrastructure for a growing region that increasingly relies on efficient, safe air travel…