Commercial airports focus of $90,000 study

WASHINGTON – Maine will receive $90,000 to study the economic benefits of Maine’s six commercial airports. The current commercial service will be analyzed to identify service that is dependent on the Boston-Logan hub and on the federal Essential Air Service program, which assures service to four of Maine’s six commercial airports – Augusta, Bar Harbor, Rockland and Presque Isle.

“I have been particularly disturbed by the administration’s proposal to cut funding for the EAS program by $63 million, while also demanding communities share the cost of the program,” said U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe. “This study will show how important EAS is to the state of Maine, how our consumers rely on it for business and pleasure travel, and how much it contributes to our economy.”

Specifically the funding will be used to evaluate the consequences of policies that could restrict small commuter aircraft to the Logan International Airport hub in Boston and the impact to Maine’s airports if EAS was lost.