Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a $446,760 federal grant to the Niagara Falls International Airport for important infrastructure improvement. Specifically, this investment from the FAA via the Airport Improvement Program will help fund the Niagara Falls International Airport’s environmentally sustainable master plan to grow passenger and cargo traffic and increase economic development in the region.
“This Federal Aviation Administration grant will ensure that the Niagara Falls International Airport can continue to serve residents and visitors and help boost the area’s economy,” said Schumer. “The master plan will help improve airport efficiency and sustainability, thereby bringing more businesses and travelers to the region and will allow the NFTA to plan for the future needs of the airport.”
“This is an important investment for Niagara Falls International,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This funding will help lay the foundation for long term upgrades, provide better service for travelers, and create better access to the region.”
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.