VIDEO: 4 Days 'til Airport Tower Goes Dark, Time for Plan B

With just four days to go until the proposed shut down of Nashua Municipal Airport's Biore Field's air traffic control tower, New Hampshire's movers and shakers are moving and shaking.

They are also considering Plan B.

"Look, we all know we've got to cut the budget but you can't do it across the board and just make cuts that have safety implications and economic implications," said U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster during a brief stop at Nashua Airport on April 3.

"We can do much better by bringing people together and making smart decisions, and the sequester is not one of those," Kuster said.

Kuster met on Wednesday with Mayor Donnalee Lozeau, Airport Director Royce Rankin Jr., Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce President Chris Williams, as well as  tower managers, airport authority members, and members of the Nashua business community, all strategizing over what their "plan B" is, now that initial conversations with the Federal Aviation Administration have fallen flat.

Lozeau acknowledged the mixed message that might be construed by her urging of the federal government to reverse a budget-driven decision. She is currently the co-chair of the Campaign to Fix the Debt for NH initiative.

"Some might ask, so how are you having your hand out for federal money at the same time you're expecting to fix the debt? And here's my answer: This sequestration is government by ultimatum, and that's not how we make decisions. The Government's job is to serve the people, and this is not serving the people," Lozeau said [see video clip for more comments from Lozeau].

On March 26 the FAA announced a list of 149 airport tower closures due to federal budget cuts, among them Nashua Airport, effective April 7.

Prior to the announcement last week, New Hampshire’s bipartisan Congressional delegation appealed to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to continue air traffic control services at the Nashua Airport.

The shutdowns were ordered by the FAA as the agency looked to trip $637 million from its $16 billion budget under mandated sequestration cuts.R

Rankin said the airport's goal would be to continue running the control tower for "at least five months," relying on a combination of possible alternative revenue streams including state grants, city funding or the generosity of those who use the airport.

A conference call April 2 with top FAA officials did not net any forward movement, Royce said.

Last week, Nashua Airport Authority Chairman Donald Davidson said New Hampshire had not ruled out joining other airports around the country in filing suit against the FAA.

"We were hoping for good news yesterday, but that didn't happen," Rankin said [see video clip for more comments from Rankin].

At a cost of $30,000 a month to run the control tower – about $1,000 a day – resources just aren't there to self fund, Rankin said. 

"There are a lot of things on table now, and we're trying to in put everything together, and the short term keep tower open," Rankin said.