U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Duluth International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower Relocation project. The grant provides $10 million to fund the relocation of an Air Traffic Control Tower, a non-standard tower commissioned in 1963.  The project includes design, project formulation, site preparation, line of sight obstruction removal, and other related actions. The grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar supported. 

“Duluth International Airport’s air traffic control tower is one of the oldest in the country and needs an upgrade, which is why I pushed for this funding,” said Klobuchar. “With this major federal grant, Duluth International Airport will be able to relocate the air traffic control tower, which will boost efficiency and safety.”

“I am thrilled that the Duluth International Airport has been awarded $10 million in funding to go towards the replacement of the air traffic control tower, funding I have been advocating for since 2019. An upgrade is desperately needed as the air traffic control tower was constructed in the 1950s and is the third oldest in the country. The Duluth International Airport is a key driver for our local economy, and these funds will go a long way in making it safer and more competitive for the 21st century in addition to creating a suitable environment for the next generation of aircraft for the 148th Fighter Wing. I am grateful to have worked with both Senator Klobuchar and Duluth Airport Authority Executive Tom Werner for this funding, and I will continue to work to secure full funding for this vital project in order to ensure a brighter and safer aviation future for the Northland,” said Stauber.

“Our Congressional Delegation has worked tirelessly to secure this initial round of funding for our air traffic control tower project. We couldn’t ask for better champions for our aviation economy in Northeast Minnesota.  Air commerce at DLH has grown exponentially since the tower was constructed. As it continues to grow, air traffic control services must have a modern facility from which to operate. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our Congressional Delegation to secure additional funding to replace the 70-year-old tower at DLH,” said Tom Werner, Executive Director of the Duluth Airport Authority.

This funding is from the Airport Terminal Program, one of three aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

In 2023, Klobuchar and Stauber led the Minnesota delegation in sending 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.