Pin It
airport_towerThe federal omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2014, filed last night by House and Senate appropriations committees, includes $140 million in full, dedicated, and statutorily-protected funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contract tower program.  That, says County Airport Manager Bob Nicholas, is great news for Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport and the nation’s more than 250 other airports with FAA contract towers.

“The Ithaca and Tompkins County community is absolutely delighted to hear that the Contract Tower Program will be fully funded under the 2014 Omnibus Spending Bill,” says Airport Manager Nicholas.   “It has been a long uphill battle to get the FAA to understand the importance to the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport and to the local economy of having a functioning control tower.

“This addresses any uncertainty passengers had about the future of the control tower and makes it clear that the airport will continue to operate at full capacity for the long haul.  We are particularly grateful for the assistance we received from Congressman Tom Reed, and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, in lobbying the FAA and House and Senate Appropriations Committees to get the funding included in this bill."

The appropriations bill will be considered by Congress this week.

v10i2
Pin It