City Takes On Costly Project To Replace Airport Palm Trees

It’s going to cost a lot of green to see some green at El Paso International Airport.

Palm trees and shrubbery that failed to recover from the February freeze will cost the city more than $100,000 to remove, dispose and replace with other types of trees. Officials said 87 of the 100 palm trees around the airport died during the cold spell. Replacement trees and other plants were selected from the El Paso Water Utilities Water Wise plant list

“For a lot of people, it’s the first impression they get of El Paso,” Assistant Director of Aviation Jerry Bettendorf said. “We’re like the gateway to El Paso, Las Cruces, Juarez and we want to look good.”

Bettendorf said that looking good costs money.

“Just for the palm trees, we’re talking about $102,000.”

Airport officials first wanted to see if any of the palm trees would come back — and some of them are — but most didn’t come back.

“It is a big expense, but it’s a necessary expense, it’s a gateway to El Paso,” Bettendorf said.

He said the project will be paid for with airport enterprise funds, and no money from the city’s general fund will be used.

The project should be completed by mid-September.