Funding Up In The Air For Small PA Airports
Perry proposes amendment to end Essential Air Service program
July 18, 2023
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Perry proposes amendment to end Essential Air Service program
Could Pennsylvania’s smaller airports lose their funding and support?
The idea could be placed on the table when the U.S. House begins debate on the FAA reauthorization bill.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10), along with Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), have an amendment to the bill that calls for the elimination of the Essential Air Service (EAS), the government program that helps support rural airports.
Perry introduced H.R. 3822 – the End EAS Act – which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calling for the repeal of Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code.
There are five Pennsylvania airports among the 110 that are eligible as EAS communities – Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Johnstown and Lancaster.
A national coalition is fighting back to advocate for policy and legal changes in support of rural airports. RESTORE, or “Restoring Essential Service to Our Rural Economies,” represents airports and regional stakeholders that have suffered a significant hit to daily air service since the pandemic.
“Our small and rural community airports are the main economic driver for our regions, and airports like ours are getting hit worst and first. Issues like the pilot shortage, mass cancelations, and just a lack of dedicated daily air service are hurting our communities and creating an economic challenge”, says Richard Howell, Director for the Williamsport Regional Airport and RESTORE spokesman.
The Essential Air Service (EAS) and Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD) are two programs providing air-service to rural and smaller communities. However, the EAS program is currently closed off to airports who want to join the program, per the 2012 FAA Reauthorization, making the reauthorization bill all the more important.
Perry and McClintock’s amendment runs opposite of the efforts of Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), who has introduced a pair of bills aimed at expanding air travel opportunities for individuals living in middle America, while simultaneously reducing congestion at our Nation’s major airports.
“By opening up additional opportunities for regional airports to expand, it is my hope we can restore commercial flights in Williamsport and make air travel more convenient and stress-free for all Americans,” he said in a statement. “These bills are a win for travelers in Districts like ours and will benefit the economies of rural communities across the country.”
The FAA reauthorization bill calls for funding of small community air service of
Finally, the bill also calls for a study of the change in costs of the EAS program with a report to be submitted to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 months after authorization.
Could Pennsylvania’s smaller airports lose their funding and support?
The idea could be placed on the table when the U.S. House begins debate on the FAA reauthorization bill.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10), along with Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), have an amendment to the bill that calls for the elimination of the Essential Air Service (EAS), the government program that helps support rural airports.
Perry introduced H.R. 3822 – the End EAS Act – which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calling for the repeal of Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code.
There are five Pennsylvania airports among the 110 that are eligible as EAS communities – Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Johnstown and Lancaster.
A national coalition is fighting back to advocate for policy and legal changes in support of rural airports. RESTORE, or “Restoring Essential Service to Our Rural Economies,” represents airports and regional stakeholders that have suffered a significant hit to daily air service since the pandemic.
“Our small and rural community airports are the main economic driver for our regions, and airports like ours are getting hit worst and first. Issues like the pilot shortage, mass cancelations, and just a lack of dedicated daily air service are hurting our communities and creating an economic challenge”, says Richard Howell, Director for the Williamsport Regional Airport and RESTORE spokesman.
The Essential Air Service (EAS) and Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD) are two programs providing air-service to rural and smaller communities. However, the EAS program is currently closed off to airports who want to join the program, per the 2012 FAA Reauthorization, making the reauthorization bill all the more important.
Perry and McClintock’s amendment runs opposite of the efforts of Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), who has introduced a pair of bills aimed at expanding air travel opportunities for individuals living in middle America, while simultaneously reducing congestion at our Nation’s major airports.
“By opening up additional opportunities for regional airports to expand, it is my hope we can restore commercial flights in Williamsport and make air travel more convenient and stress-free for all Americans,” he said in a statement. “These bills are a win for travelers in Districts like ours and will benefit the economies of rural communities across the country.”
The FAA reauthorization bill calls for funding of small community air service of
Finally, the bill also calls for a study of the change in costs of the EAS program with a report to be submitted to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 months after authorization.
Could Pennsylvania’s smaller airports lose their funding and support?
The idea could be placed on the table when the U.S. House begins debate on the FAA reauthorization bill.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10), along with Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), have an amendment to the bill that calls for the elimination of the Essential Air Service (EAS), the government program that helps support rural airports.
Perry introduced H.R. 3822 – the End EAS Act – which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calling for the repeal of Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code.
There are five Pennsylvania airports among the 110 that are eligible as EAS communities – Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Johnstown and Lancaster.
A national coalition is fighting back to advocate for policy and legal changes in support of rural airports. RESTORE, or “Restoring Essential Service to Our Rural Economies,” represents airports and regional stakeholders that have suffered a significant hit to daily air service since the pandemic.
“Our small and rural community airports are the main economic driver for our regions, and airports like ours are getting hit worst and first. Issues like the pilot shortage, mass cancelations, and just a lack of dedicated daily air service are hurting our communities and creating an economic challenge”, says Richard Howell, Director for the Williamsport Regional Airport and RESTORE spokesman.
The Essential Air Service (EAS) and Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD) are two programs providing air-service to rural and smaller communities. However, the EAS program is currently closed off to airports who want to join the program, per the 2012 FAA Reauthorization, making the reauthorization bill all the more important.
Perry and McClintock’s amendment runs opposite of the efforts of Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), who has introduced a pair of bills aimed at expanding air travel opportunities for individuals living in middle America, while simultaneously reducing congestion at our Nation’s major airports.
“By opening up additional opportunities for regional airports to expand, it is my hope we can restore commercial flights in Williamsport and make air travel more convenient and stress-free for all Americans,” he said in a statement. “These bills are a win for travelers in Districts like ours and will benefit the economies of rural communities across the country.”
The FAA reauthorization bill calls for funding of small community air service of
Finally, the bill also calls for a study of the change in costs of the EAS program with a report to be submitted to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 months after authorization.
Could Pennsylvania’s smaller airports lose their funding and support?
The idea could be placed on the table when the U.S. House begins debate on the FAA reauthorization bill.
Rep. Scott Perry (R-10), along with Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), have an amendment to the bill that calls for the elimination of the Essential Air Service (EAS), the government program that helps support rural airports.
Perry introduced H.R. 3822 – the End EAS Act – which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, calling for the repeal of Subchapter II of chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code.
There are five Pennsylvania airports among the 110 that are eligible as EAS communities – Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Johnstown and Lancaster.
A national coalition is fighting back to advocate for policy and legal changes in support of rural airports. RESTORE, or “Restoring Essential Service to Our Rural Economies,” represents airports and regional stakeholders that have suffered a significant hit to daily air service since the pandemic.
“Our small and rural community airports are the main economic driver for our regions, and airports like ours are getting hit worst and first. Issues like the pilot shortage, mass cancelations, and just a lack of dedicated daily air service are hurting our communities and creating an economic challenge”, says Richard Howell, Director for the Williamsport Regional Airport and RESTORE spokesman.
The Essential Air Service (EAS) and Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD) are two programs providing air-service to rural and smaller communities. However, the EAS program is currently closed off to airports who want to join the program, per the 2012 FAA Reauthorization, making the reauthorization bill all the more important.
Perry and McClintock’s amendment runs opposite of the efforts of Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09), who has introduced a pair of bills aimed at expanding air travel opportunities for individuals living in middle America, while simultaneously reducing congestion at our Nation’s major airports.
“By opening up additional opportunities for regional airports to expand, it is my hope we can restore commercial flights in Williamsport and make air travel more convenient and stress-free for all Americans,” he said in a statement. “These bills are a win for travelers in Districts like ours and will benefit the economies of rural communities across the country.”
The FAA reauthorization bill calls for funding of small community air service of
Finally, the bill also calls for a study of the change in costs of the EAS program with a report to be submitted to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 months after authorization.
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