Date discrepancy. The senator's office published this release with a date of , but Capitol Releases captured it on . The published date appears to be a typo on the source site; the capture timestamp is when the release first appeared at the URL below.
Schumer Delivers $1.4 Million in FED Funding to Piseco Airport After Fighting Eight Years AGO to KEEP Federal Funding Flowing and Hamilton County Airport OPEN
New Fed Investment Secured By Schumer Will Rehabilitate Thousands Of Yards Of Pavement And Keep North Country Passengers Safe After Rule Change Ten Years Ago Rendered Piseco Airport Unable To Receive FAA Grant Funding For Repairs, Schumer Fought To Restore Piseco Airport’s Eligibility For Fed Infrastructure Funds Schumer: Piseco Airport Can Reach New Heights! After fighting to ensure the Piseco Airport would remain eligible for federal funding , U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today visited the Hamilton County airport and announced he has delivered $1,412,438 in federal funding through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to rehabilitate thousands of yards of pavement to ensure the airport is safe for North Country passengers. “Sometimes, people ask me why I visit all 62 counties, and this is exactly why. Ten years ago, on my trip to Hamilton County, my good friend Rick Wilt, who was Supervisor of Arietta, told me that the Town needed help with the FAA. Without annual aviation grant funding, there was simply no way the town could afford to operate and maintain its municipal airport. Now, Arietta is not only back in compliance, but I was proud to deliver $1.4 million in federal funding to help the airport invest in key safety upgrades,” said Senator Schumer. “Working with people like Rick to support New Yorkers in every corner of the state keeps me going. I was devastated to learn of Rick’s passing last month and extend my sincerest condolences to his family and friends, and all those who knew him. As we honor Rick and the community he loved, I’m here to say I will always fight to support Arietta and Hamilton County.” Schumer explained that there are six homes on eight properties lined immediately adjacent to the western side of the Piseco Airport along their airstrip, and that back in 1971, the Town of Arietta deeded homeowners perpetual access rights to the airstrip. However, Schumer explained, in 2013 the FAA established the Residential Through-the-Fence Access agreement, which said that any neighboring access to an airport must be sold at fair market value. As a result of the Piseco Airport’s non-compliance with this rule, the FAA prohibited Piseco from receiving grant funding through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). According to Schumer, this crippled the ability of the Town of Arietta, with its population of 304, to maintain and operate its airport. Schumer fought to resolve the issue for the Town of Arietta and the Piseco Airport. In 2016, Supervisor Rick Wilt raised the issue during Schumer’s annual visit to Hamilton County. Schumer’s staff worked with the FAA to try to find a regulatory solution. Again in 2017, Schumer met with Town of Arietta and Hamilton County officials at the airport to discuss the issue in greater detail and pledged to include a policy fix in the next FAA Reauthorization Bill. In 2018, however, Schumer announced that a five-year FAA Reauthorization bill was signed into law, which included a legislative fix to the Residential Through-the-Fence Access, allowing certain airports, including the Piseco Airport, to be eligible to receive federal AIP funds through a grandfather clause. Since then, the airport has continued to receive its annual Airport Improvement Program grant funding of approximately $150,000, which it depends on in order to operate the municipally owned airfield. Just last month, Schumer delivered $1,412,438 in additional grant funding for key modernization upgrades. This grant funds the final phase, which consists of construction. This project rehabilitates 4,000 square feet of existing airport helipad to extend its useful life. This project also rehabilitates 10,500 square yards of existing Terminal Apron pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris. This federal funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which Schumer boosted in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law he led to passage in the Senate and the 2024 FAA reauthorization law. ###
2b70e186-a1ba-4c35-85df-d4a255dbad37