The grant funding is allocated from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the office of U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R–New Hartford) said in a news release posted Wednesday on her website.
Griffiss International needs the new snow plow “to keep the airport serviceable during snow periods and aid in the efficiency and safety of operations.”
“As an important regional asset, Griffiss International Airport has been a key contributor in helping to grow our local economy in the Utica-Rome area. Funds from this grant will allow Griffiss to acquire new snow removal equipment, further improving the airport’s ability to handle Upstate weather conditions and better maintain the integrity of the airport’s infrastructure,” Tenney said.
The funding will “aid in the efficiency and safety of operations” of this county-owned and operated facility, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr. said in a separate statement his office released on Wednesday.
“My administration and our staff at the airport, especially Commissioner Chad Lawrence, prepared the grant, applied for the grant and won the grant award. I’m proud of their efforts. I have always made Griffiss a priority, and we continue to see growth in research and technology and in the development of unmanned aircraft systems that is unprecedented anywhere in the country,” said Picente.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com