At a public hearing held in Rota Mayor’s Office conference room on Apr. 30, Lt. Colonel Anthony Fontanetta presented the U.S. Air Force’s plan to build six warehouses and eight concrete pads on the airport’s runway to support Mobile Aircraft Arresting System (MAAS) – a system that stops aircraft in emergencies.
Fontanetta said the construction is not another divert airfield and will only involve 20-40 service members. He said they planned to have the construction completed in nine months upon approval.
“These projects are for recovery operations,” Fontanetta said. “MAAS pads support aircraft recovery. Equipment and material in the warehouses support airfield recovery. In that warehouse are the material to repair the runway, equipment to repair the runway, communications gear, and generators.”
Rota officials and residents asked about employment and business opportunities, and the impact of the construction and military exercises on the environment.
To ensure safety, Fontanetta said the proposed construction plans still need approvals from local regulatory agencies, including the Commonwealth Ports Authority, and the National Environmental Policy Act process.
