BILL WOULD EASE BARRIERS TO AIRPORT EXPANSION

A bill making it easier for cities to get land for airport expansion cleared the Missouri Senate last week and is expected to win approval in the House before the end of the session next month.

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, was requested by Perryville officials who faced a court challenge to their condemnation of land for airport runway expansion.

Kinder said cities with airports outside city limits will be better able to protect their ability to expand with the bill.

"This bill is critical to the economic well-being of dozens of cities across the state," said Kinder. "Economic growth is intrinsically linked with the ability to expand."

Several other area cities with airports outside of city boundaries are affected by the measure, including Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Charleston, Fredericktown and Marble Hill.

Across Missouri, more than 60 cities have municipally-owned airports outside corporate boundaries.

The Perryville municipal airport is 13 miles north of the city off Route 51. When the city expanded the length of the airport's runway by 1,500 feet, farmers with land in the condemned area started a court fight over what the city proposed to pay for the land.

One case was settled last week. Three others remain to be heard.