The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved Silver’s proposal to take over the subsidized service being handed off by Colgan Air, Senator Bob Casey announced today.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., airline is asking for $3,997,187 a year in federal funds to operate 18 flights a week between Johnstown-Altoona and Dulles International Airport near Washington. It includes three flights each weekday, one on Saturday and two on Sunday.