.jpg)
Feb. 16, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: As we have expressed to the Board of Supervisors and the Economic Development Authority, the Rockbridge County Farm Bureau strongly opposes the construction of a general aviation airport in Rockbridge County. Since we oppose the construction, we also see no point in wasting money on a feasibility study. We oppose the airport for the following reasons: a. The airport would require 150 to 200 acres of farmland. Farmland is the foundation of a rural, agricultural economy and the loss of every acre of farmland damages that economy. b. An airport would be of no significant benefit to our local agricultural economy. c. Rockbridge County is a fundamentally rural economy and culture which is based on agriculture, nature- tourism, agro-tourism, placebased local business, and retirement living. An airport would damage, not enhance, this economy and culture. d. Proponents of this study and project tout the fact that the majority of the costs will be paid by “someone else.” In reality, local, commonwealth, and federal funds are all taxpayer funds and we end up paying for all of it.
We have far more pressing needs than an airport which we do not need. Anyone in Rockbridge County that needs an airport has already figured out how to access and use one of the five or more nearby private, commercial, or general aviation airports. MACK SMITH President, Rockbridge County Farm Bureau
