The
Pellston Regional Airport in Emmet County will be seeing a lot of construction over the next year, thanks to a $5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.
U.S. Representative
Bart Stupak announced the grant will be awarded, allowing the airport to construct a 35,000-square-foot facility for snow removal equipment as well as housing airport rescue and firefighting.
"Having an exceptional facility and the proper equipment to keep travelers safe will only make Pellston that much more beneficial to the surrounding communities," Stupak says. "I am pleased the FAA has recognized Pellston's need for this funding and that in the coming months construction will begin, putting members of the community to work to improve the airport's infrastructure."
Emmet County officials say the airport project will create up to 100 construction jobs over the next year, as primary contractor
DeVere Construction of Alpena is currently awarding bids to about 20 subcontractors across the region, and will begin work this fall. The total project cost will be about $8 million, with the county paying $189,000, and the rest matched with other federal, state and local funding.
Jim Tamlyn, chair of the
Emmet County Board of Commissioners, says the project was aided immensely by Stupak and U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.
"The impact on our community from this construction project will be tremendous. For more than a year it will put our neighbors, friends and family to work," Tamlyn says. "Further, it will address a real need we have at Pellston Regional Airport -- for a sufficient and efficient structure to house the required equipment needed to run an airport."
The facility will house all snow and fire equipment, and also serve as the fire station and training facility, and as the base for communications operations for the airport.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Jim Tamlyn, Emmet County
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