Livermore airport fears week-long shutdown will hurt business

LIVERMORE, Calif. (AP) -- Those whose livelihoods depend on the Livermore Municipal Airport are concerned a week-long ban on flights near the nation's nuclear power plants will cost their businesses money.

The ban, announced by the Federal Aviation Administration Tuesday, prohibits flights below 18,000 feet that come within about 11 1/2 miles (10 nautical miles) around the Lawrence Livermore and Sandia/California labs in Livermore.

There are 86 nuclear sites in 36 states are affected, according to Livermore Airport manager Leander Hauri.

The airport has effectively closed to all but a few flights a day because it's within 10 nautical miles of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

"I realize the need for caution, but there's an economic impact that goes along with this," said Ralph Cloud, a private pilot and member of the local Airport Advisory Commission.

Attorney General John Ashcroft revealed there were "credible threats" of another terrorist attack.

Normally there are about 600 flights arriving and departing the airport each day. By Wednesday, with the ban in effect, that number fell to three.

"If this goes on past next week or happens over and over again, I'll be really worried. I don't want any of our flight schools to file for bankruptcy because they lost so much business," Hauri said.