Niagara Falls, NY (WBEN) The FAA announced it will close 149 air traffic control towers because of budget cuts. The Niagara Falls International Airport tower is NOT one of them.

Word got out late Friday afternoon 40 towers slated to close will remain open and the NFTA's Doug Hartmayer learned one of those staying open is at Niagara Falls. "We're extremely happy because we weren't sure what was going to happen. We're thankful and appreciative to the FAA that they've seen the significance in maintaning our tower at Niagara Falls," says Hartmayer.

Niagara Falls airport has 25,000 arrivals and departures involving private, commercial and military flights.

The FAA said it had to trim $637 million in cuts required under budget sequestration and would consider keeping open any towers if doing so would be in the national interest.