WASHINGTON –  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith released the following statement on the Duluth International Airport receiving $5,980,000 in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminal Programs for the replacement of its air traffic control tower.

“I’ve been fighting for funding to replace this tower that is one of the oldest in the country and in urgent need of repair,” said Klobuchar. “With this major federal grant, the Duluth International Airport is a step closer to completing this project and boosting safety and efficiency.”

“The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it’s operating with a 70-year-old tower – the third oldest in the nation – that is not up to FAA standards,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will make air travel in the Duluth area safer and more efficient. This kind of investment is exactly why I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which made this important project possible.”

In 2024, Senator Klobuchar and Smith secured $10 million in federal funding for the Air Traffic Control Tower Relocation project. 

In 2023, Klobuchar and the Minnesota delegation sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requesting that they expedite reviews and approvals required for Duluth International Airport (DLH) to apply for grant funding to build a new air traffic control tower. 

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