U.S.
Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that
the Department of Transportation (DOT) will provide a total of $790,135
to Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport through the Federal Aviation
Administration. The first grant of $505,135 will fund new airplane
de-icing equipment and other winter weather preparations, while a
second grant of $285,000 will fund an update of the airport’s master
plan to provide a forecast of future expansion and development. The
master plan is the first “green” master plan for an airport in the
country.
“Ithaca
Tompkins Regional Airport is on the cutting edge of environmental
sustainability in aviation,” said Schumer. “With unemployment on the
rise, green transportation spending like this will not only put people
to work right away, but also lay the groundwork for future projects
that will create construction jobs, boost demand for building materials
and help our environment. New facilities and plans for Ithaca Tompkins
are a step in the right direction, and I’m proud to support this
funding.”
“Innovation
is the key to rebuilding our economy,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This
federal investment will help create jobs in the Southern Tier to
jumpstart the economy immediately, and develop a ground-breaking
‘green’ master plan to provide a model for long-term environmentally
sustainable growth the entire state can follow. I will continue working
with Senator Schumer and the entire Congressional Delegation to make
sure New York gets its fair share from the federal government.”
Ithaca
Tompkins Regional Airport serves both the city of Ithaca and Cornell
University. With a single asphalt runway, it is also the only
paved-runway airport in Tompkins County. After a drop-off in the late
1990s, traffic has grown significantly in recent years, with 182,260
passengers served in 2008 – a seven percent increase over the previous
year. Since 2005, both Continental and Northwest Airlines have added
routes at the airport, supplementing US Airways operations already in
place.
The
$505,135 grant will support the acquisition of aircraft de-icing
equipment and snow plows, as well as the construction of a sand and
chemical storage building and a handicap passenger lift. The $285,000
grant will fund the preparation of a new master plan for the airport,
providing strategic direction for future expansion projects.