“Infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs and provide other economic benefits for local communities,” Chao said.
Projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of firefighting facilities, noise mitigation, emissions reduction and the maintenance of taxiways, aprons and terminals. The construction and equipment supported by this funding increase the airports’ safety, emergency response capabilities and capacity, and could support further economic growth and development within each airport’s region.
Airport infrastructure in the United States, with 3,332 airports and 5,000 paved runways, supports our economic competitiveness and improves quality of life. According to the FAA’s most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs. Under Chao’s leadership, the department is delivering AIP investments for the American people, who depend on reliable infrastructure.
Airports can receive a certain amount of AIP entitlement funding each year based on activity levels and project needs. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.
Some of the grant awards in the Western Builder area include:
- Sky Harbor Airport in Minnesota received a grant for $3.4 million. The grant will fund the construction of a runway.
- Falls International-Einarson Field Airport in Minnesota received a grant for $15.8 million. The grant will fund the conduction of an environmental study, expansion of an apron and reconstruction of a runway.
- Lake Elmo Airport in Minnesota received a grant for $3.4 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of a runway and taxiway.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport in Minnesota received a grant for $8.1 million. The grant will fund the construction of a taxiway, improvements to a runway safety area and the installation of runway incursion marking and taxiway lighting.
- Rochester International Airport in Minnesota received a grant for $3.3 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of a runway and improvements to a terminal building.
- Dickinson – Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport in North Dakota received a grant for $13 million. The grant will fund the extension of a runway.
- Watford City Municipal Airport in North Dakota received a grant for $3.2 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of two runways.
- The City of Williston in North Dakota received two grants for $8 million and $6.3 million. The grants will fund the construction of two new airports.
- Aberdeen Regional Airport in South Dakota received a grant for $3.3 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of a taxiway and the rehabilitation of another taxiway.
- Rapid City Regional Airport in South Dakota received a grant for $4.4 million. The grant will fund the acquirement of snow removal equipment, construction of an access road, reconstruction of a terminal building and rehabilitation of an access road, taxiway and terminal building.
- Joe Foss Field Airport in South Dakota received a grant for $4.1 million. The grant will fund the construction, expansion and rehabilitation of aprons.
- Appleton International Airport in Wisconsin received a grant for $4.6 million. The grant will fund the expansion of an apron.
- Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport in Wisconsin received a grant for $3.3 million. The grant will fund the acquirement of equipment, modification of a terminal building, rehabilitation of a terminal building, reconstruction of an apron, and rehabilitation of two aprons, two runways and three taxiways.
