Tester Announces $3.5 Million for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport

(Big Sandy, Mont.) – One week after successfully fighting to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Senator Jon Tester announced today that Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport will receive $3.5 million in funding to fix one of its taxiways and upgrade its lighting system, increasing visibility for pilots and safety for passengers.

“Investments like this help our state thrive, connecting Big Sky Country to the rest of the world,” Tester said. “Families, tourists, and business travelers use Montana’s air travel infrastructure to connect them with the people and places they need to see.”

The funding was awarded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants to develop and improve air travel infrastructure across the country. Airports across Montana received more than $42 million in AIP grants last year and have already received more than $28 million so far in 2016. This includes another $2.3 million grant that Bozeman Yellowstone International received earlier this month.

After Tester pushed to get FAA reauthorization legislation passed through the Senate, it was signed into law last week, reauthorizing the FAA through September of 2017. This ensures the continued viability of the Airport Improvement Program, reauthorizes the Essential Air Service Program-which supports flights from Billings to Sidney, Glasgow, Wolf Point, Glendive, and Havre-and continues the Small Community Air Service Development Program, which recently awarded grants to Missoula and Billings to help provide new direct service to Dallas.