Flint’s potential.“The Pittsburgh International Airport reinvented itself from being a major hub, primarily serving connecting passengers for US Airways to an originating and destination (O&D) market, where passengers start their travel at the airport and return to the same destination.” Sapone applies this experience to Flint. Flint has faced well-documented challenges over the years. In meetings with local leaders, he addresses perceptions directly.“I gave my background. I questioned,“What do you think of Pittsburgh?”The first thing they said was, ‘Ah, smog steel town.’ I’m like, yeah, that was probably 20, 25 years ago”, Sapone recounts. “You can’t change your past. You can only change your future and where you’re going.” SUSTAINABILITY AND FUTURE PRIORITIES Bishop International Airport integrates environmental responsibility across its capital improvement program, from LED lighting upgrades funded through utility rebates to advanced water remediation projects.The airport recently partnered with Dynamic Carbon Credits, a local company that evaluates carbon footprints and positions the facility to earn government carbon credits through efficiency improvements. Sapone emphasizes the importance of environmental stewardship in the community. “Sustainability is a high priority for me; to be able to put this airport in the spotlight of what we’re doing is my goal,” he says. A significant environmental project addresses PFAS contamination. The airport, in cooperation with an FAA pilot program, employs plasma destruction technology to treat groundwater, running it through cycles that remove contaminants before releasing clean water to outfalls. The study, conducted by LimnoTech using DMAX Plasma equipment, uses argon gas bubbles to move PFAS to the water’s surface, where plasma breaks down and destroys the contaminants. “It’s not good for the water, your groundwater. And it is a big push on trying to eliminate the PFAS,” Sapone explains. “The goal is to remove the PFAS or any kind of contaminant and 215 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 10 FLINT BISHOP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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