Federal bill pushes Banning Municipal Airport closer to closure

The closure of Banning Municipal Airport may be inevitable, following approval of provisions contained in an aviation bill that spell out criteria for shutting down the nearly century-old airfield.

According to Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Indio, his House Resolution 8216, which establishes procedures for deactivating the airport, was incorporated into the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act passed this month by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

Ruiz said the city of Banning has been seeking to shutter the only airport in the San Gorgonio Pass for a decade because it has been a fiscal burden, siphoning $170,000 annually out of the local budget for upkeep.   

"This bipartisan bill represents a turning point ... that has the potential to create jobs and bring hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development to the city,'' Ruiz said.

The section of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act
connected to the airport does not provide a specific sunset date for operations, but instead appropriates money to fund a study to gauge current demand for the airfield, how closure might impact Cal Fire firefighting operations and the potential federal cost of rehabilitating the field's aging infrastructure in the next decade.  

If the FAA finds no barriers to closure based on the study, a shutdown date may be declared.

"The closure of Banning Municipal Airport is a crucial step forward for our city's economic growth and community well-being,'' Mayor Alberto Sanchez said. "Unfortunately, the airport lacks the necessary infrastructure and demand to remain viable and has become a financial drain. The land that will become available with the closure will unlock significant economic potential for the city, paving the way for transformative development and job creation in our region."   

Banning Chamber of Commerce President Robert Sibole said the goal is "re-purposing the airport land" for possible "commercial and industrial development."   

Morongo Band of Mission Indians Vice Chairman James Silva acknowledged the tribe's support for closure, also citing "new economic development opportunities" as a motivator.

The field, the first part of which was constructed in 1940, offers an east-west runway for fixed-wing aircraft, as well as spots for helicopters to land. Along with private civil air traffic, Cal Fire tankers and choppers utilize the airport.

The Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association is among opponents of legislative moves to shutter the aerodrome, pointing to its importance as a training resource for aviators, a transportation hub for people flying into the area for recreation or business and other opportunities.

"Airports can present valuable economic revenue streams if local governments are creative and give them the freedom to take advantage of their many positive attributes,'' AOPA Western Pacific Regional Manager Jared Yoshiki said last year. "Hangar leases and fuel taxes are just a couple of ways the
airport can be financially self-sustaining and alleviate some of the financial pressure on city budgets."

He said the city has only provided bare minimum funding to support the airfield, which has been part of Riverside County for more than two-thirds of the time since the county incorporated.

Municipalities have pushed for airport closures based on "redevelopment" objectives throughout California and elsewhere. The legendary Santa Monica Municipal Airport is slated for closure on Dec. 31, 2028.   

"The common factor we have observed is the lack of appreciation for the immense value an airport brings to the local community by the city and county governments that control these airports,'' Yoshiki said.