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Airport wins multiple FAA/NYS DOT grants; geothermal funding, operations cost remain uncertain
Summary
Ithaca Tompkins International Airport staff told the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee they expect FAA and New York State DOT grants for runway and ARFF site work, equipment and an energy assessment, but the airport faces questions over geothermal funding, local PFC contributions and ongoing maintenance costs.
Airport director Roxanne (last name not provided) briefed the Tompkins County Facilities and Infrastructure Committee on May 15 about several pending Federal Aviation Administration and New York State Department of Transportation grants and related capital projects at Ithaca Tompkins International Airport.
Roxanne said the airport had applied for and is anticipating multiple grants that would fund site work for the aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) building, purchase of snow-removal equipment (SRE blower and broom), firefighting tools and personal protective equipment (PPE), and an energy assessment. She said federal funding for projects in 2025–26 is projected at 95% of eligible costs rather than the usual 90%, lowering the airport’s local share. Committee members moved and approved each resolution on the anticipated grants and awards.
Committee members focused extensive discussion on the airport’s planned heating system for the new ARFF building and other energy issues. Roxanne and county staff said the project’s location is inside a local gas moratorium area, which limits the airport’s ability to use natural gas and pushed consideration of alternatives: delivered fuels (propane/fuel oil/wood), electric-resistance systems or geothermal wells. County staff and consultants said geothermal has a higher initial cost but is expected to be more economical over decades because it avoids large electric demand charges associated with resistance heating.
County staff said they had applied for a FAA waiver to allow geothermal well costs to be funded in the FAA grant; that waiver decision was pending. Roxanne said the airport would use passenger facility charges (PFCs) and airport fund balance for local matches and that reimbursements from FAA drawdowns typically occur quickly after invoices arrive. Staff warned committee members that if federal waivers or state funding (including a pending Inflation Reduction Act/IRS refund of approximately $1.7 million tied to another county project) do not come through, the county could need to use general fund resources temporarily to cover upfront costs.
On equipment, Josh (airport operations) said the airport is replacing an overdue snowblower required to meet FAA equipment standards and purchasing PPE and handheld tools tied to a previously awarded ARFF vehicle item; the grants cover most costs with modest local PFC shares. The proposed SRE blower bid was $1,139,369.08 with a local PFC share of $28,007.97; the PPE/equipment request totaled about $215,002 with a $5,381.99 local share. The energy assessment grant award was about $128,002.50 with a small local PFC contribution.
Committee members asked how the new ARFF building would affect recurring operating costs; Roxanne said the new facility is expected to be heated with geothermal (if funded) and that maintenance and heating costs will be added to future airport operating budgets. Roxanne and county administration said the airport has relied on county support for debt service in recent years and that the county has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover airport debt service; staff cautioned that the airport is not yet fully self-sustaining.
The committee approved all four grant-related resolutions at the meeting. Members asked staff to provide airport fund-balance figures, to continue pursuing FAA and state funding and to report back on decisions about geothermal funding once waiver and grant outcomes are known.
