Saturday, April 15, 2017

Watertown, New York: Sen. Charles Schumer Works to Secure Funding for Region's Rural Airports

WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is making an effort to help regional airports.

Schumer spoke at the Watertown International Airport Friday.

He said he's hoping to protect air services in Upstate New York from proposed cuts to the Essential Air Service Program.

The EAS provides support for small, rural airports across the country. Schumer says it's critical for air service in several North Country communities.

It provides nearly $2 million each year for American Airlines flights from Watertown to Philadelphia, serving nearly 35,000 passengers every year.

"If we lost it, we would not just lose the simple jobs here at the airport," Schumer said. "We'd lose lots of jobs all over the county. It would throw a wrench into the county's economic efforts."

Schumer says eliminating the federal support next year could wipe out the service completely. 

Story and video: http://www.twcnews.com

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