When the U.S Senate failed to extend the Federal Aviation Administration’s operating authority, the FAA furloughed nearly 4,000 employees around the country, 640 of those employees worked at the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township, reports the Inky.
The FAA has been under short-term extensions ever since its operating authority expired back in 2007. Another extension was rejected.
What does this mean for the area?
No New Jersey airports will be affected, but $44.7 million worth of projects in the area will be halted -- including a fire-safety building that was planned for Atlantic City International Airport, reports the Inquirer.
Other contractors in Atlantic City have been ordered to stop their projects including Lumark which assesses the safety of the National Airspace System and Four Winds Services, Inc. which does aircraft maintenance.
The Senate did try to come up with a plan to end the shutdown, but it was rejected by Republicans.
However, a deal may not be reached until September since Congress is expected to go into recess during the month of August.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"With 4,000 FAA furloughed workers wondering when they can return to work, Congress should not be eyeing an escape from Washington until a solution," U.S Representative Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey said in a press release.
The shutdown can result in more than a $1 billion loss in revenue from uncollected airline ticket taxes. So far $250 million has been lost.
