August 28, 2025

Wyden, Merkley Announce More Than $17 Million to be Invested in Oregon Rural Airports under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

La Grande, Klamath Falls, Hood River, Hermiston, John Day, and McMinnville airports to receive federal funds for upkeep, expanded services

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced more than $17 million will be invested in airports throughout Oregon thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law they supported in 2021 during the Biden administration.

“I’m gratified that logical policies like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to deliver much-needed infrastructure investments to rural communities throughout Oregon,” Wyden said. “I will keep up the fight for common-sense policies and funding that protect and enhance airport and passenger safety throughout the state.”

“Our regional airports are vital hubs for Oregonians, supporting local businesses and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “Investing in critical airport improvements like taxiways and hangars strengthens our infrastructure, and I’ll continue to fight to secure federal dollars to improve the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports, benefitting the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.”

This $17.1 million investment from the U.S. Department of Transportation includes:

  • Crater Lake/Klamath Regional: $7.76 million for runway and taxiway construction

  • La Grande/Union County: $6.45 million toward runway construction to enhance safety

  • City of Hermiston/Hermiston Municipal: $2.18 million to protect the approach to the runway and bring the airport into conformity with current standards

  • Port of Hood River/Ken Jernstedt Airfield: $502,650 to build a 10-unit hangar for aircraft storage and maintenance

  • City of McMinnville/McMinnville Municipal: $202,357 for navigational aids to provide pilots with critical airfield information

  • Grant County/Grant County Municipal: $58,500 to construct a new fueling apron to allow access to a broader fleet mix

“The FAA grant total of $6.7 million dollars will improve deficient shoulders, complete storm water grading and adjust runway lighting for the primary runway, at La Grande/Union County Airport,” said Union County Public Works and Airport Director, Doug Wright. “In addition, new taxilanes will be constructed to allow development of new hangars. The improved safety features, and the addition of hangars, will foster economic development for years to come. Without the professional partnership between the FAA and the La Grande/Union County Airport, this project would not have gotten off the ground.”

“The form of this award, which results in airport ownership of viable farmland, will help provide critical financial stability for the airport by creating permanent annual lease revenue,” Hermiston Assistant City Manager, Mark Morgan said. “As the only public airport in a 20 mile radius, the Hermiston airport supports more than 40,000 Oregonians as a base for aerial applicators, multiple daily air freight flights delivering online purchases, and regular medical transport operations. I welcome this sustainable financial support from the FAA to help reduce the cost of this regional asset to the taxpayers within the City of Hermiston.”

“We are grateful for this FAA investment, which will directly support critical upgrades to our fueling facilities and apron at the Grant County Regional Airport. These improvements strengthen the airport’s self-sustainability goals, ensure safe and reliable access for aviators, and enhance the services we provide to the community. We appreciate the strong federal partnership that makes projects like this possible in Eastern Oregon,” said Haley Walker, Airport Manager for Grant County Regional Airport.