(Washington, D.C.) - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus announced a major investment into the Sidney-Richland Airport today with a more than $2.1 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. As part of Baucus' ongoing Call to Action in the Bakken, Baucus says the transportation infrastructure grant will help the local community handle increased pressure on services related to the oil and gas boom in Eastern Montana.

"This grant will help support jobs during the construction phase but will also help improve safety at the Sidney-Richland Airport.  I'm pleased to see this smart investment going to work for Montana and will keep working on any and every way to make sure local communities have the resources they need to embrace the opportunities related to the oil and gas boom in the region," said Baucus, who successfully fought for a reauthorization of the FAA which faced partial shutdown due to gridlock last summer.

The $2.12 million transportation infrastructure grant will support construction jobs for rehabilitating the taxiway and improving safety on the airfield during low visibility conditions.

MORE INFORMATION/ONLINE RESOURCES ON BAUCUS' CALL TO ACTION IN THE BAKKEN:

READ: Max's letter to President Obama: "Call to Action in the Bakken" online HERE

READ: What Montanans are saying about Baucus' call for an "all hands on deck" approach to economic development in the Bakken and read more online HERE: