Bill > ACR169

Introduced Session

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is a critical transportation hub for New Jersey, serving nearly 50 million passengers annually and supporting the State's economy through air travel, cargo transport, and tourism. In July 2024, control of EWR's airspace was transferred from New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) to Philadelphia TRACON, a move intended to address understaffing at New York TRACON. The shift to Philadelphia TRACON did not increase the number of air traffic controllers available to manage EWR's airspace. In recent weeks, EWR has experienced multiple serious air traffic control system disruptions, including radar and communications outages which have resulted in flight delays, flight cancellations, ground stops, and air traffic controllers taking medical leave. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has struggled with outdated infrastructure for decades and has acknowledged that old systems, such as aging copper telecommunications lines and remote radar feeds, are contributing to the ongoing issues at EWR. The FAA is below targeted staffing levels nationwide and the Philadelphia TRACON remains affected by the nationwide air traffic controller shortage, with only 22 fully certified controllers and several others still in training, putting air traffic controllers in untenable situations and leading to precautionary flight caps at EWR, exacerbating flight delays and cancellations. On May 8, 2025, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation announced a plan to build a brand new air traffic control system, but this long-term plan will take years to complete and action to modernize air traffic control infrastructure and increase staffing at EWR is urgently needed now. The safe, efficient, and modern functioning of the national airspace system is a federal responsibility, and ensuring system reliability and resilience at high-volume airports like EWR is essential to avoiding catastrophes and protecting public safety, regional economic continuity, and national mobility, and is in the best interests of the State.

Committee Categories

Clinton Calabrese (D)*,  Linda Carter (D)*,  Robert Karabinchak (D)*,  Mitchelle Drulis (D),  Roy Freiman (D),  Barbara McCann Stamato (D),  Tennille McCoy (D),  Jessica Ramirez (D), 

Passed by the Assembly (77-0-2) (on 06/30/2025)

Official Document