Senate Panel Gives Nod to O'Hare Expansion Measure Bond Buyer - The American Banker A Senate panel approved legislation yesterday that would chisel into stone a controversial $6.6 billion plan crafted by Illinois officials to expand Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, while still leaving room to build a third airport about 40 miles southwest of the city near Peotone. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved the measure on a 19-to-4 vote after defeating amendments offered by Sen. Peter G. Fitzgerald, R-Ill., that would have weakened the bill substantially. The measure now goes to the full Senate. Fitzgerald, a staunch opponent of expanding O'Hare, had a dozen amendments prepared for introduction at yesterday's markup, but submitted only five since he had resigned himself to the fact that he could not muster the majority of votes needed to scuttle the bill in committee. The senator's efforts to stop the bill seemed even more quixotic in light of reports that Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-S.D., yesterday assured Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley that he has the votes to pass the measure once it is taken up by the full Senate. Similar legislation is pending before a House committee. Fitzgerald's amendments included a proposal to limit expansion at O'Hare to 7,700 acres. But the proposal was rejected by the committee because it would curtail any future expansion beyond that covered by the legislation. But the committee did approve three Fitzgerald amendments that are not expected to hamper the expansion, including one to extend the bill's noise reduction protections to people living in nearby apartments as well as single-family homes. "I believe that this bill kills the Peotone airport proposal ," Fitzgerald said. "I don't think a governor on drugs would attempt to fund Peotone after O'Hare's capacity has been doubled from 900,000 operations a year to 1.7 million." If the bill passes, he added, "There would be no demand for Peotone. No airlines would go there and, in short, there would be no way to fund it." However, the committee felt that the proposed expansion of O'Hare, which is one of the world's busiest airports and the one with the third highest number of delays in the nation, was essential. "This is an important piece of legislation," said Sen. John McCain, R- Ariz., the ranking member on the committee. "I believe we should move forward with this. What happens to Chicago O'Hare airport affects Phoenix, Ariz., Los Angeles, and Miami. When O'Hare shuts down, the nation shuts down." The bill, sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., is based on an agreement struck by Daley and Illinois Gov. George Ryan last year. It would cement into law Daley's proposal to reconfigure O'Hare's runways and build an additional one, while preventing future governors from blocking the project. Both consider the plan vital because Ryan is not seeking re-election and expansion of O'Hare looms as a political quagmire for gubernatorial candidates seeking suburban support. The bill also marries O'Hare's expansion with two of Ryan's pet plans -- building a third regional airport in the southwest suburbs near Peotone and keeping open Meigs Field, a small general aviation facility just south of downtown area along the Lake Michigan shore. Attend the Newark Airport Airline Collectible Show & Sale: http://www.freeyellow.com/members/psa188/page1.html