Congress Approves More Than $20 Million for Presque Isle International Airport Secured by Senator Collins
The funding now heads to the President to be signed into law
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured$20,462,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the City of Presque Isle’s International Airport (PQI) in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill. The bill, which was included in legislation that passed the Senate today, now heads to the President to be signed into law.
“PQI plays a critical role in Northern Maine’s infrastructure,” said Senator Collins. “As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure funding to replace PQI's terminal with one that meets FAA standards, helping attract more travelers, tourists, and businesses to Aroostook County.”
“On behalf of the Presque Isle International Airport, I would like to thank Senator Collins for her support in securing the funding needed to construct a new airline passenger terminal,” said Scott Wardwell, PQI Airport Director. “This funding is critical to the project’s completion and to meeting the current Federal Aviation Administration modernization recommendations. By implementing the FAA’s recommendations, the new terminal building would not only better serve our current passengers but would also allow for significant growth in the future.”
This funding will be used to implement critical updates and modernizations with a full replacement of the existing terminal that was built in 1954. The proposed terminal will be fully ADA compliant and will utilize environmentally conscious technologies such as energy efficient lighting, low flow plumbing fixtures, and electric vehicle charging stations.
In June 2023, Senator Collins visited PQI for a tour and a briefing on the new terminal design.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
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