Tester Announces Nearly $3 Million for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport

Grant to improve safety, expand terminal will help #ConnectMT

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester has secured nearly $3 million in federal funding to help the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport expand its terminal, rehabilitate its apron, and improve safety by purchasing new snow removal equipment.

The $2,949,307 grant was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and comes on the heels of an additional $8.5 million Tester has secured in recent years to help the airport extend its taxiways, upgrade its facilities and expand its travel capacity.

“In a state as big as Montana, air travel is critical to keeping folks connected and this grant will make air travel in and out of Gallatin County quicker, safer, and more reliable than ever,” Tester said. “Whether it’s by increasing tourism, facilitating business, or helping families and friends stay connected, our airports make our way of life possible.”

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.

“Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the nation with passenger traffic up over 20 percent for the first six months of 2019,” said Airport Director Brian Sprenger. “With this growth, infrastructure needs multiply and this grant along with previous grants helps us provide the facilities required to serve our growing community.”

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. He 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.