Senators Carper & Coons Join State and Local Officials to Celebrate Signing of Joint Use Agreement at Central Dover Aviation Complex

Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined DelDOT Secretary Nicole Majeski, Dover Air Force Base Commander Col. William McDonald, and Kent County Economic Development Director Linda Parkowski to celebrate the next step in expanding Kent County’s economic development with the Joint Use Agreement signing at the Central Dover Aviation Complex, formerly known as the Civil Air Terminal. The agreement was made possible due to the efforts of many dedicated partners, including Carper and Coons, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), DelDOT, the U.S. Department of Defense, Dover Air Force Base, the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the City of Dover, Kent County, and the City of Dover.

The Dover Civil Air Terminal, opened in 1982, is one of five regional airports managed by the Delaware River & Bay Authority. It is a civilian-use terminal and aircraft parking apron located adjacent to Dover Air Force Base and is operated in accordance with a Joint-Use Agreement with the United States Air Force. It is one of 10 joint-use military airfields with the Air Force nationwide. It currently has two runways which come in under 10,000 and 13,000 feet, but it remains one of the only locations in the country long enough to land a space shuttle.

“Dover Air Force Base has long been a great neighbor and a pillar of our state’s economy. This new agreement will make the base even more of an asset as it unlocks additional commercial potential for Kent County and our state,” said Governor Carney. “The agreement to allow additional commercial use of the Air Force runways is something that has been in the works for years, and I’d like to thank everyone involved – our DelDOT team, base leadership, the Air Force, DRBA, Kent County economic development partners, and the members of our congressional delegation – for their persistence and teamwork to get this done.”

Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski added, “This agreement is the result of a decade-long effort to expand use of the Dover Civil Air Terminal and create opportunities for local businesses to grow. As owner of the facility, DelDOT is grateful to our congressional delegation, the Kent Economic Partnership, and the Department of Defense for their work to complete a new 50-year joint use agreement and excited for the potential it holds for Kent County and Delaware.”

“Governors, Senators, Congresswomen – we don’t create jobs. Instead, we help create a nurturing environment for job growth and job preservation,” said Senator Carper, who helped with the agreement. “The signing of the Joint Use Agreement between the Department of Defense and Delaware Department of Transportation will open the doors for more flight activity – generating more revenue and potential for businesses to move to Kent County – for the next 50 years to come! With the strong partnerships between the Dover community and the Dover Air Force Base, this agreement will help usher in an era of prosperity for Central Delaware.”

“This newly negotiated agreement is a great example of the Delaware Way, where federal, state, and local government leaders work together to spur economic growth in Kent County and beyond,” said Senator Coons. “This deal builds on decades of successful partnership between the Department of Defense and the Delaware Department of Transportation and will spur future economic development by giving businesses the clarity and assurances they need to make long-term plans and boost investment in the First State.”

“Today’s signing marks a new chapter for the Central Dover Aviation Complex, one that will invest in the broader Dover community by creating good-paying jobs and strengthening its economic development,” said Representative Blunt Rochester. “The Joint Use Agreement represents what is possible when partners from all levels come together to realize a shared mission, and I am excited to see the impact that this agreement will have on the Dover community, Delaware’s economy, and our entire state for decades to come.”

“The signing of the Joint Use Agreement is momentous, positioning Delaware to be able to attract users and jobs to the state,” said Kent County Economic Development Director Linda Parkowski. “To be able to use the significant assets such as the runways on Dover Air Force Base for the next 50 years will be an appealing site for future development in the area.”