HYANNIS – Barnstable Municipal Airport has begun construction on a new 60,000 gallon above-ground jet fuel farm.
It’s expected that the new fuel farm will eventually replace the older 20,000 gallon underground storage tank.
“This is a major step forward environmentally,” said Airport Manager Roland “Bud” Breault.
“We want to get our fuel reserves above ground to add a greater margin of safety for Cape Cod’s sole source aquifer, the water recharge area and the nearby wells that serve Hyannis,” he said.
The $1.5 million facility will built on the airfield over the next six months by a Falmouth company.
The current underground storage tank has been in use for over 20 years.
The project is funded by the airport’s enterprise fund reserves.
More than a million gallons of jet fuel were sold last year, producing over $4 million in revenue.
Main fuel buyers include commercial air carriers and private and corporate aircraft operators.
Airport officials say that the fuel farm’s capacity is being increased to keep up with demand and to reduce the requirement for frequent fuel deliveries.