The Greater Binghamton Airport is set to receive a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant exceeding $1.1 million to rehabilitate the airport’s west apron, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D–NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D–NY) announced Tuesday.
The west apron at the airport is separate from the runways and taxiways and is where aircraft are loaded and unloaded, boarded, parked, and refueled, according to a news release issued by the senators.
“I’m pleased to add this million dollar grant to the list of ‘arrivals’ at Greater Binghamton,” Schumer said in the release. “This federal grant will help Greater Binghamton Airport upgrade its aircraft staging areas, thereby increasing their efficiency and ability to turn around flights even faster, to serve more residents, businesses and visitors each day.”
Gillibrand said that, “This is an important investment for the Greater Binghamton Airport.” She added, “Updating the runway apron can help provide better, safer service for travelers and business, keep more flights on the move through the Southern Tier, and help strengthen the local economy.”
The funding for Greater Binghamton Airport, which is located in the town of Maine in northern Broome County, is part of the Airport Improvement Program, administered by DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 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, according to the release.
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) was set up by the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982. Since then, lawmakers have amended the AIP several times, most recently with the passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, according to the senators’ news release. Funds dedicated to the AIP are drawn from the Airport and Airway Trust fund, which is supported by air travelers’ user fees, fuel taxes, and other similar revenue sources.
Last November, the Greater Binghamton Airport completed a nearly $13 million runway-safety improvement and runway-extension project that lasted about 18 months, according to the airport’s website. The federal government provided more than $12.3 million of the funding.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com