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Air traffic control towers in Parkersburg, Lewisburg and Wheeling will close early next month as the Federal Aviation Administration cuts operations at smaller airports throughout the country, following the sequestration cuts in Washington.
The cuts spared cuts at the state's larger airports. Tri-State Airport at Huntington has been listed as one where the FAA could remove air traffic controllers from the tower, and Yeager Airport at Charleston could lose controllers for its overnight shift.
The FAA announced March 22 that it will close 149 federal contract towers beginning April 7 as part of the agency's sequestration implementation plan.
Contract towers control traffic at low-volume airports.
While Tri-State has been spared in this round of cuts, its tower could still be closed, said Jerry Brienza, the airport's general manager.
Even if the Tri-State tower were to close, passenger and cargo service at Tri-State would continue, but would be controlled from Indianapolis.
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