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Sept. 9, 2024, Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding Portland International Airport (PDX) $8,724,651 to boost its project to upgrade the airport’s HVAC electrical systems to reduce emissions.

“PDX is a vital hub for Oregonians, connecting communities, businesses, and travelers to the rest of the world. As the airport continues to grow, it’s critical that we invest in efficient, cost-saving, and climate-friendly improvements,” Merkley said. “These federal infrastructure dollars will further improve energy efficiency at PDX to reduce harmful emissions and ensure cleaner travel.”

“As Oregon’s biggest airport, PDX can make big energy gains with this significant federal investment,” Wyden said. “This major energy modernization at the airport marks a big step forward and in the fight to combat the climate crisis, each and every clean energy improvement matters.”

This $8.7 million award for PDX comes from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP)—a grant program that is fueled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund airport infrastructure projects to strengthen our nation’s aviation infrastructure. PDX will specifically use this latest funding to address aging assets, improve the energy efficiency of the existing HVAC systems, and to improve the reliability of the electrical system. The updates build on past funding to install a new heat pump—which will reduce carbon emissions and provide an estimated 83 percent reduction in energy demand to heat and cool the building—and help move PDX closer to its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“We’re grateful to Senators Merkley and Wyden for their continued leadership to make PDX more sustainable. Federal funding helped us make major efficiency upgrades when building the new main terminal, essentially doubling airport capacity while cutting the energy use per square foot in half,” said Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director of the Port of Portland. “Now, with this latest grant, we’re able to save even more energy in our daily operations by updating the airport’s older heating, cooling and electrical systems.”