Tester Announces More Than $20 Million to Upgrade Airports Across Montana

(U.S. Senate) – As part of his ongoing effort to #ConnectMT, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced more than $20 million in federal funding to upgrade 15 airports across the state.

“Air travel is a critical part of our state’s infrastructure, and these grants will make flying safer, quicker, and more comfortable,” Tester said. “These grants will help boost our economy and keep folks in Montana connected year-round.”

In addition to the five grants that he announced yesterday for airports in Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell, Bozeman, and Missoula, Tester also secured funding for the following airports:

• Bowman Field (Anaconda) – $300,000 to rehabilitate the runway and taxiway.
• Bert Mooney Airport (Butte) – $600,000 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.
• Deer Lodge City-County Airport – $255,384 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.
• Big Horn County Airport (Hardin) – $98,666 to purchase new snow removal equipment.
• Jordan Airport – $158,000 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.
• Mission Field (Livingston) – $150,000 to widen the taxiway.
• Sher-wood Airport (Plentywood) – $171,548 to purchase snow removal equipment and improve the runway guidance system.
• Roundup Airport – $225,000 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.
• Sidney-Richland Regional Airport – $786,000 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway, and improve the runway guidance system.
• Terry Airport – $219,330 to rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.

The grants were awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP)-which provides grants to airports across the country in order to expand and improve America’s air travel infrastructure-and comes after Tester secured more than $8 million for airports in Montana last month.

As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Tester worked hard to reauthorize the Airport Improvement Program through last year’s FAA Reauthorization Act. And then, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester secured an additional $500 million in funding for the Airport Improvement Program in the 2019 budget bill.

Tester’s #ConnectMT initiative seeks to connect folks across Big Sky Country-both online and in person-by investing in Montana’s physical and digital infrastructure. Tester helped secure more than $20 million in AIP grants for Montana’s airports last year and has already secured more than $30 million in AIP funding this year.

Tester also recently secured Essential Air Service funding in the February budget bill and he is pushing members on both sides of the aisle to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package to repair roads, invest in air travel, and improve access to broadband in Montana.