FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2000

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER $7 MILLION FOR NEW YORK AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS

Rochester, Oneida, Jamestown, Ithaca, Elmira, Schenectady Airports All Receive Federal Money

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded more than $7 million in grants for improvements to New York airports. This funding will be used for projects such as runway extensions, equipment purchases and terminal improvements.

"These federal grants are going to help airport authorities make some important improvements to their facilities," said Schumer. "Jet Blue and Southwest have shown that there is a market in Upstate New York that is hungry for better air service and improving our airports is a key part of the effort to attract new carriers to the region."

Monroe County's $2.2 million award is the largest of the six grants awarded to New York today and will be used for improvements at Greater Rochester International Airport. The funding will be used to construct a new de-icing facility and to design an additional taxiway next to the secondary runway.

Chautauqua County Airport will receive almost $2 million to make improvements to one of its taxiways. Other grants include $650,000 for snow removal equipment at Oneida County Airport, $651,173 for rehabilitation of the lighting system at Tompkins County Airport, $135,000 for taxiway improvements at Schenectady Airport, and $126,000 for fire fighting and rescue vehicles at Elmira/Corning Regional Airport. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will also receive $900,000 to mitigate noise at public buildings near John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Additional grants totaling over $600,000 were awarded to Brockport, Westport, and Fulton for projects at their airports.

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