WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation has authorized the release of $6 million to the city of Bangor to rehabilitate Bangor International Airport’s runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Project funds were included in the 2000 Transportation Appropriations Act and the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, according to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci, who announced the funding Wednesday.

The total cost of this upgrade at BIA is about $20 million, said Baldacci, who is a member of the House Aviation Subcommittee. The U.S. DOT is expected to provide about half the needed resources. The remaining funds are being sought from the Air National Guard, which makes substantial use of BIA’s runway.

In a letter to Rep. David Hobson, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Baldacci explained the importance of this project, and called for National Guard funding.

“As the Subcommittee meets to draft the FY 2002 Military Construction Appropriations bill, I respectfully request that no less than $10 million be included to cover the costs of the National Guard’s share of a three-year runway refurbishment project at the Bangor International Airport,” Baldacci wrote in his April letter to Hobson.

“BIA has recently initiated a long-needed $20 million project to refurbish its 3,400-plus meter runway and associated facilities. BIA is not only an important civilian airport but also serves our country’s national security interests. For many years, BIA has been the home of the National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing, also known as the “Maineiacs.” The brave men and women of this unit have proven themselves again and again in the field despite their high operational tempo. The Air Guard’s use of BIA significantly contributes to the wear and tear on the facilities and will necessitate a more robust design for the new runway. … I strongly urge the subcommittee to provide at least $10 million to complete this critical civilian-military project,” Baldacci wrote.