Virginia Officials Push for Additional Money for Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia

Virginia Del. Lynwood Lewis is pushing for an increase in state funding for the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority. In a blog post, he criticized the $838,000 that has been allocated for each of the next two years as being insufficient for the authority to oversee its growing operations on Wallops Island:

Another area of concern for me was the lack of full funding for the budget request, which had been supported by the Governor’s office for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. While the spaceport did receive a significant increase in funding, it is not enough to do what must be done in light of the terrific projects evolving at the spaceport.

The Governor’s office has indicated that they are willing to mount an effort between now and the reconvened session on April 21, to amend the budget to provide for full funding of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport budget request. This $1.2 million request had been supported by both candidates for governor in the fall election, and continues to be supported by Gov. Bob. McDonnell.

Lewis represents Virginia’s Eastern Shore, which includes Wallops Island. The original budget request was for $1.37 million. Updates on this story as they become available.