Andrew Scanlon, the project manager on the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) update with consulting firm Kimley‑Horn, told the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that the study is meant to keep the airport’s planning documents current and to identify projects eligible for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funding.

"This is the airport layout plan update and narrative report to Siskiyou County Airport. This is something that is required by the FAA to be kept current," Scanlon said. He summarized pavement condition assessments, operational data and three alternatives for the runway and related infrastructure.

The ALP team presented three main options: keep the existing runway length at roughly 7,500 feet and address safety-area constraints; shorten the runway to about 7,100 feet while reconfiguring safety areas on county property; or reduce the runway to an FAA‑eligible configuration of roughly 4,100 feet by 75 feet. The consultants estimated the total cost for a full reconstruction at nearly $33 million, of which the FAA would be able to fund just over $5 million under current program rules. A 7,100‑foot alternative was estimated near $30 million (county share about $24.5 million), while the FAA‑eligible 4,100‑foot option was estimated near $5.9 million. Consultants also estimated about $1.5 million in pavement maintenance costs over 20 years.

Scanlon said the FAA’s determination of what it will fund depends on the airport’s "critical aircraft" and use history; for Siskiyou County Airport the consultants identified the King Air (a smaller turboprop class) as the current critical aircraft under FAA guidance. He noted that to support larger air tanker aircraft (roughly C‑130 size) the airport would ideally have at least 6,000–7,100 feet of runway, with the 7,100‑foot option allowing C‑130 operations on warm days.

Supervisors pressed staff and consultants on costs, funding sources and operational needs. "The minute we shorten it, we'll never get it back," Supervisor Powell said, arguing that shortening the runway would compromise long‑term firefighting capability and county resilience. Powell added, "We have to; we'll lose our entire county because of fire if we don't." Another supervisor emphasized infrastructure gaps such as the airport’s single‑pump water system and urged pursuing partnerships and revenue from major users including CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service.

Consultants and staff said the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) rules and advisory circulars constrain what portions of runway reconstruction are eligible for federal funding, and that many airports nationwide face a similar funding gap. They recommended preparing "shovel‑ready" projects to be poised if discretionary FAA funds become available and pursuing other funding channels — emergency management, economic development, or direct legislative appropriations — to cover the local share.

The board discussed convening a multi‑agency group and a possible airport action committee that would include county supervisors, staff and representatives from CAL FIRE and the Forest Service to pursue coordinated funding, leases, and an improved operational footprint. Staff said they are contacting federal and state representatives and agency partners and would return with a proposed timeline and more detailed cost backup.

No formal board action was taken on the ALP at this meeting; the presentation was a briefing and request for direction.

The consulting team provided additional technical detail about pavement options. They said full‑depth reclamation — recycling existing pavement material to create a stronger base — was the most durable solution given the site’s heavy red clay subgrade and delamination seen in core samples from 2023. Mill‑and‑overlay was described as likely to have a shorter useful life under current conditions and therefore not the preferred FAA‑fundable solution.

Board members asked staff to pursue a stakeholder meeting in the next 30 days involving supervisors, agency partners and legislative staff to seek practical funding paths and to avoid repeatedly returning only for status reports.