WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) – The top Democrat on the Senate aviation subcommittee urged the Federal Aviation Administration to reject White House pressure to approve President Donald Trump’s proposed 259-foot (79-meter) tall Independence Arch, saying it could pose risks to commercial flights.
“The FAA must commit to upholding the highest safety standards and be firm in rejecting any improper or irresponsible pressure from President Trump to prioritize the construction of his gaudy, vanity arch over the safety of the American people,” Senator Tammy Duckworth wrote FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford in a letter Thursday.
The FAA said last week the arch would need red safety lights but said it does not pose any safety impacts in its preliminary review. The proposed arch would be 3,000 feet from Reagan National and within the airport’s main approach and departure corridor.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Philippa Fletcher)
