Challenge
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is the independent public authority charged with managing New England’s top transportation assets: Logan International Airport, the Port of Boston, L.G. Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, and the Tobin Bridge.

Solution
For over two decades, Massport has retained O’Neill and Associates Vice Chairman John Cahill for counsel on all federal issues affecting its facilities and operations. Services have included:

• Advancing Massport’s relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and New England’s congressional delegation;
• Developing and implementing strategies to obtain federal funding and approvals from federal agencies; and
• Developing testimony for Congressional hearings including the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Results
O’Neill and Associates’ successes on behalf of Massport over the years include:

• Federal approval of the full eligible reimbursement rate of seventy-five percent for a $140 million plus security program for Logan International Airport initiated to conform with the standards approved by the U. S. Congress in the AIR-21 legislation;
• Federal approval and funding in excess of $100 million for a new regional jet runway, 14-32, at Logan International Airport;
• Legislative approval and funding of Ted Williams Tunnel for Logan Airport access;
• Multi-million dollar federal funding through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the maintenance dredging of Boston Harbor;
• Funding of security measures at the Port of Boston;
• Initial federal authorization and partial funding of the Logan Airport Intermodal Transit Connector;
• Full federal funding of the Massachusetts Port Authority noise abatement program since 1981;
• Congressional passage of legislation reauthorizing all federal aviation programs at higher level funding than previously;
• Successfully negotiated budget issues and funding of additional U.S. Customs and INS staffing at Logan Airport; and
• Advancement of currently pending approval of Centerfield Taxiway.

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