SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, ANNOUNCE OVER $39 MILLION IN COVID RELIEF FUNDING FOR UPSTATE NEW YORK AIRPORTS

Senators Say Pandemic Created Unnavigable Storms For Airports; Fed Assistance To Help Upstate Economies Take Off

Schumer, Gillibrand: After Significant Losses During The Pandemic, COVID Relief Funding Will Help Upstate New York Airports Recover And Reach New Heights

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $39,172,473 in COVID-19 relief funding to airports and counties across Upstate New York. These grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to provide economic relief funds for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, rent and minimum annual guarantees to airport concessions located at primary airports, and combating the spread of pathogens at the airport.

“Air travel was among the most severely impacted industries amid the height of the pandemic, and is vital to the connectivity and success of the Upstate New York economy,” said Senator Schumer. “As Majority Leader, I am proud to deliver this funding through the American Rescue Plan, which I negotiated in the Senate, to provide much needed relief to these vital economic engines of our Upstate communities. Help is on the way that will put Upstate New York’s airports on the road to recovery and reach new heights.”

“As air travel slowly returns to normal levels, this funding will help ensure that airports throughout the state have the resources they need to operate safely and bounce back despite the devastating toll of the pandemic,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to have voted for the American Rescue Plan to deliver this funding to some of the New York airports that need it most and I’ll keep fighting to provide federal resources to communities statewide.”

A breakdown of the over $39 million going to Upstate New York airports can be found below: