Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $255,996 in federal grants to the Town of Wellsville for important infrastructure improvements. An $189,000 investment from the FAA via the Airport Improvement Program will allow Wellsville Municipal Airport to repair its cracked and dated runway. An additional $66,996 grant will be used to install updated lighting along Taxiway A, creating a safer airfield during low visibility conditions.
“These Federal Aviation Administration grants will ensure that the Wellsville Municipal Airport can continue to serve residents and visitors and help boost the area’s economy,” said Senator Schumer. “The repaired runway and lighting along the taxiway will improve airport safety, thereby bringing more businesses and travelers to the Southern Tier.”
“This is an important investment for the Wellsville Municipal Airport and the surrounding region,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Updating the airport’s runway will help provide better, safer service for travelers and businesses, and help improve access to the Southern Tier to strengthen the local economy.”
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) through the Federal Aviation Administration provides grants to public agencies — and, in some cases, to private owners and entities — for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). The NPIAS, which is prepared and published every 2 years, identifies public-use airports that are important to public transportation and contribute to the needs of civil aviation, national defense, and the Postal service.
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) was established by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982. Since then, the AIP has been amended several times, most recently with the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Funds obligated for the AIP are drawn from the Airport and Airway Trust fund, which is supported by user fees, fuel taxes, and other similar revenue sources.