Terrebonne council unanimously backs drafting letter to federal delegation to support airport’s drone bid
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Summary
The Terrebonne Parish Council voted 9–0 to draft an official letter supporting the Terrebonne Airport Commission’s bid for a federal drone test-site/EIPP designation, after a presentation describing years of investment and local infrastructure advantages.
The Terrebonne Parish Council voted unanimously to draft a letter of support for the Terrebonne Airport Commission’s effort to win a federal drone test-site/EIPP designation. Councilman Steve Trostclair made the motion; it was seconded by Clyde Hamner and approved 9–0.
The council heard a presentation from Josh Alford, chairman of the Terrebonne Airport Commission, who described a decade of local investment and a push to turn Houma into a national center for unmanned aircraft testing and commercial drone operations. “We started off with an investment of $250,000 into an EDA grant,” Alford said, and later “got that $1,300,000.” He told council members the airport is seeking designation announced March 3 and asked the public and officials to press the federal delegation for support: “I’m asking from everyone, anyone you can get your hands on is to apply the pressure to our federal delegation.”
Ed Jarvis, the airport’s executive director, framed the application within ongoing FAA pilot programs: “The FAA is now going out to the experts” and will name locations to collect data and recommend rulemaking, he said. Jarvis said the airport is pursuing both the EIPP opportunity and a previously sought test-site (9-37), and that success could attract private operators who would be required to be operational within 90 days of designation.
Council members pressed presenters about safety protocols, road closures and runway extension timing. Jarvis said runway-extension planning is underway and that the parish will be consulted when closures or right-of-way changes are needed. He also summarized current capital needs, saying the airport has roughly $12 million in projects under way and has requested about $30 million from the state for improvements.
After discussion, Trostclair’s motion that staff draft a letter of support was adopted by unanimous vote. The council’s action is procedural — the letter requests support but does not itself commit funding — and council members said they will continue to receive technical briefings and public hearings at the airport as the application proceeds.