Agency seeks 18‑month extension to complete sale of Caledonia State Airport as FAA guidance holds transfer

The Agency of Transportation asked the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 10 for an 18‑month extension and a targeted amendment to earlier T‑bill language to allow completion of a pending sale of Caledonia State Airport.

"We entered into a purchase and sales agreement with Kraft in September '24," said Trudy Broussard, director of intermodal development for the Agency of Transportation, summarizing the procurement that followed an August 2023 request for proposals. Broussard told the committee the agency received one responsive proposal and judged the buyer’s business plan and staffing proposals acceptable.

Broussard told members the agreed sale price is $500,000 and estimated the parcel at roughly "50 to 60" acres, subject to file review. She added that an independent appraisal returned a higher figure (she cited "6 something, $6.20 rings a bell" as an approximate number) but said runway condition and a public‑access requirement reduced market value.

The transfer has stalled not for state process but because of changes in federal reauthorization and related FAA guidance. "They changed the language on releasing an airport," Broussard said, and FAA implementation guidance has not yet been issued. The agency is continuing discussions with FAA counsel and plans leadership-level meetings to press for a resolution.

A central statutory issue in the record is eligibility under the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). Broussard said inclusion in NPIAS makes a privately owned, public‑use airport eligible for federal funding but also brings regulatory obligations many private owners decline. The agency proposed removing the NPIAS‑related clause from the state bill language to avoid the particular federal objection and to move the transfer forward.

Committee members pressed the agency on buyer identity, operations and risk. Broussard said Kraft (appearing in the record with several alternative spellings) includes some of the same investors tied to an organization referred to as Beta but that Kraft and Beta are separate entities; she said some proposed staff have prior airport experience and that contractual terms include a state right of reversion and a right of first refusal should the buyer later opt to sell.

Concerns and allegations arose during questioning. One member raised questions about investor backgrounds; Broussard responded to the committee that certain reported ties were "not true." The committee did not take a vote on the extension or language change during the session.

Local officials and stakeholders in the town of Linden have been engaged, Broussard said, and Senator Ralph Singles told the committee the buyer’s plan extends beyond the runway. "They're already doing it," Singles said, citing workforce and educational activities and an estimated $4.5 million in private investment underway in the community.

If the sale proceeds, Broussard said proceeds must be invested back into the state's aviation program. The agency requested the 18‑month extension to allow time for federal‑register procedures, public comment and additional legal steps; Broussard summarized that regulation and process could require several months, including the time to publish in the federal register, a 30‑day comment period and follow‑up reviews.

The committee agreed to keep asking questions, consider inviting Linden town officials to provide formal comment, and to discuss the exact bill language in follow‑up. No formal action or vote was recorded; the hearing adjourned for the afternoon.