Montana News

Baucus: EAS service secured through 2015

Posted: Feb 6, 2012 6:40 PM by Q2 News
Updated: Feb 6, 2012 6:41 PM

Washington D.C. - The funding for Essential Air Service to rural Montana is locked in for the next several years. The funding has been under attack as wasteful spending by some members of Congress. But Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus was happy to announce the compromise to continue full authorization of EAS cleared its final vote in the Senate.

The compromise, which Baucus announced last Tuesday as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization, passed the House last Friday and is now ready to be signed into law by the President.

The FAA Reauthorization also authorizes funding for the Airport Improvement Program, which provided more than $45 million in grants to 34 airports across Montana last year. The Department of Transportation estimates every $1 billion invested in the Airport Improvement Program under FAA creates or sustains more than 20,000 American jobs.

"Whether on the ground or in the air, Montana jobs depend on transportation," Baucus said. "This compromise will make sure Eastern Montana has the air service it needs to take advantage of the oil boom, and places like West Yellowstone can continue attracting the tourism that keeps our economy going. And our investment in the Airport Improvement Program will keep yielding big returns by putting folks to work making sure our airports are safe and up-to-date with modern technology."

The original House passed FAA reauthorization bill eliminated funding for EAS, while the original Senate version preserved it. The final compromise that passed tonight included full reauthorization of the FAA, including EAS, through Fiscal Year 2015. Baucus was a member of the Conference Committee that negotiated the final compromise.

Nine Montana airports rely on Essential Air Service: Glendive, Sidney, Wolf Point, Miles City, Glasgow, Havre, West Yellowstone, and Butte