The Federal Aviation Administration has given preliminary approval to expand the runway at the Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport in North Clarendon.
The plan calls for extending the runway by 1,000 feet to 6,000 feet.
The Rutland Herald says many in the area’s business community feel extending the runway is critical to the airport’s future.
The FAA’s preliminary approval clears a major hurdle, but final approval and funding remain uncertain.
The expansion could cost between $30 million and $50 million.