Bowling Green Today

Last week, President Biden signed into law an amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) to designate the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Port of Entry. The amendment was part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3935).

The new designation will allow CVG to directly process shipments of wildlife and wildlife-derived products, eliminating logistical challenges, reducing costs, and creating job opportunities in Kentucky.

“Adding Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport as a Designated Port is a strategic move that enhances efficiency, reduces costs, creates jobs for Kentucky, and aligns it with the demands of global commerce,” said Dr. Paul. “My amendment is a win-win, not just for our Commonwealth but for the national economy.”

Candace McGraw, CEO of CVG, expressed gratitude for Senator Paul's efforts: “For several years, Senator Paul has worked with us and DHL to grow cargo at CVG... I am grateful to Senator Paul for championing an amendment to designate CVG as a port of entry for fish and wildlife products.”

Andrew Williams, CEO for DHL Express Americas, noted the benefits of this designation: “With this designation, we will see speedier processing times for customers, more efficient transportation, and a fundamentally safer process for inspection of regulated goods.”

Jamie Handley, Vice President of Systems Operations at Atlas Air Worldwide, added: “Senator Paul’s contributions to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 will help ensure that northern Kentucky continues to be a dominant air cargo hub for years to come.”

Despite being the sixth busiest cargo airport in the United States in 2022 with over eight billion pounds of landed cargo, CVG has faced inefficiencies due to couriers needing to transport wildlife goods elsewhere for USFWS inspection. This legislation addresses these issues by allowing inspections directly at CVG.

The law also includes a provision enabling USFWS to accept donations from private entities to support necessary changes at CVG.