Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that three North Country airports will receive nearly $1.4 million in total funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for airport facility upgrades. Specifically, Lake Placid Airport will received $427,500 for taxiway repairs, Adirondack Regional Airport in Saranac Lake will receive $684,000 to rehab an aging terminal apron and make drainage improvements, and Malone-Dufort Airport will receive $270,000 to repair and upgrade electrical systems and lighting equipment.
“I am pleased to add this federal investment to the list of ‘arrivals’ at these North Country airports,” said Senator Schumer. “We should always strive to achieve the highest standards of aviation safety, and this funding will support that goal by repairing and upgrading the infrastructure at Lake Placid, Adirondack Regional, and Malone-Dufort Airports.”
“These are important investments for the North Country’s airports,” Senator Gillibrand said. “These federal dollars will help support infrastructure upgrades to improve our airports and provide better, safer service for New Yorkers.”
The funding for the three airports is part of the Airport Improvement Program, administered by DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration. The Airport Improvement Program provides grants to public agencies for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS).
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.