The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced 1.9 billion USD in grants as part of its fifth round of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
These grants, allocated to 519 projects across 48 states, Guam, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, aim to enhance airport infrastructure.
Meanwhile, an additional 269 million USD has been awarded through the 2023 Supplemental Discretionary Grants Program to support 62 projects at 56 airports.
These grants will provide assistance to airport owners and operators in improving the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of the nation’s airport system.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said:The Biden-Harris Administration is funding projects across the country that are making airports safer and more efficient for the passengers who travel through them and for the airport and airline employees who work tirelessly behind the scenes. The grants we’re announcing today will improve airfield operations for dozens of airports and help ensure the US retains its global leadership in aviation.
Examples of funded projects in this latest round of grants include:
- Tucson International Airport, Arizona: 55 million USD to shift Runway 11/29 and ensure compliance with FAA standards
- Grand Junction Regional Airport, Colorado: 34.7 million USD for grading and drainage improvements to conform with FAA standards
- Columbus Airport, Georgia: 24.4 million USD to reconstruct Runway 6/24 for enhanced safety
Notably, the grants also include funding for technologies to address contaminants like Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These ‘forever chemicals’ are harmful to human health and the environment.
PFAS Remediation Projects include:
- San Luis Obispo County Airport, California: 3.5 million USD for testing innovative PFAS remediation technologies
- Nantucket Memorial Airport, Massachusetts: 1.2 million USD to test water treatment technologies and concrete encapsulation
In addition, the funding will contribute to noise mitigation projects, such as:
- Los Angeles International Airport, California: 15.8 million USD for sound insulation treatments in 400 homes affected by airport noise
- Key West International Airport, Florida: 2.2 million USD for sound insulation treatment design and installation in homes near the airport
What’s more, funded sustainability initiatives include:
- St. Louis/Lambert International Airport, Missouri: 29.1 million USD for the purchase of zero-emission equipment and taxiway reconstruction
- Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah: 15.1 million USD for zero-emission vehicles and terminal tarmac construction
Meanwhile, the 2023 Supplemental Discretionary Grant highlights include:
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Missouri: 20 million USD for airfield drainage and snow removal equipment storage
- San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, California: 18 million USD for airport perimeter dike improvements.
A complete list of awarded grants can be found here.
