Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, says he is fighting back against the Trump Administration’s attempts to cut the Essential Air Service Program, which provides per-passenger subsidies to Massena and Ogdensburg air carriers.

The recently released president’s budget for the 2018 fiscal year eliminates the program, Schumer said.

Two airlines run from the Ogdensburg International Airport, the EAS-subsidized Cape Air and unsubsidized Allegiant Air. Massena International Airport next month will switch from Cape Air to Boutique Air, both of which are EAS-subsidized.

EAS grants pay for air service on a per-passenger basis to and from small airports throughout the United States. They create travel options for residents and businesses in rural areas by funding airlines and airports to keep flights running. Massena International Airport, which recently chose Boutique Air to provide service this year, served 10,554 passengers in 2016. Ogdensburg International Airport served about 8,233 passengers through its EAS contract with Cape Air last year.

If the EAS program was to be cut, it could eliminate Massena’s airport from competing with Ogdensburg’s, while eliminating one of their two carriers.

“Let me be clear: these proposed cuts are wrong-headed and reckless,” Schumer said in a prepared statement. “They would be devastating for the North Country’s airports like Adirondack Regional Airport. Communities across the region rely on this program and the service these airports provide. Residents deserve to enjoy convenient, reliable air service in their own communities. It creates jobs, energizes our economy, and improves quality of life. I will fight tooth and nail to stop that from happening. Our job is to support families and grow communities. This unnecessary cut would do just the opposite.”

The EAS program was developed after the airline industry was deregulated in 1978.

“Deregulation gave airlines the freedom to decide which markets to serve and how much to charge for that service. This led to a scarcity of air service in many communities across the country where operating costs were higher and populations were smaller and less dense,” according to Schumer’s office.

The EAS program was put in to place to guarantee air service to these underserved communities. EAS ensures commuter airlines across the country serve approximately 140 rural communities, including six communities in Upstate New York: Watertown, Jamestown, Massena, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid.

“Without EAS, there would likely be no scheduled air service to and from many of these airports, forcing residents to travel long distances to access air service and delivering a devastating blow to job creation efforts,” Schumer’s office said.