FAA to close 2 Minnesota, 8 Wisconsin air traffic control towers

MINNEAPOLIS — The Federal Aviation Administration says it will close two air traffic control towers in Minnesota because of federal budget cuts. Eight Wisconsin towers also are on the list.

The agency announced the decision today, a month after it released a preliminary list of facilities that could be closed.

In Minnesota, air traffic control towers slated for closure are at St. Cloud Regional Airport and Anoka County-Blaine Airport.

The Wisconsin airports are in Eau Claire, Janesville, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee's Lawrence J. Timmerman, Mosinee, Oshkosh and Waukesha.

St. Cloud Regional Airport Director Bill Towle says five jobs will be lost when the tower at his airport closes April 7. He says the airport “is certainly not going to be as safe” without the tower.

Two Minnesota airports that were on the preliminary list of possible tower closings were spared. They are Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie and the Crystal Airport.

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