Brady PieperThe U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is unveiling more than $2 billion in grants to enhance airport infrastructure across the United States. This announcement marks the fifth round of funding from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), the largest investment in program history.
$1.9 billion from the FAA’s latest round of funding will support 519 projects in 48 states, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FAA will also provide an additional $269 million in FY 2023 Supplemental Discretionary grants to fund 62 projects at 56 U.S. airports.
The AIP provides grants to public agencies and private owners for planning and developing public-use airports, including maintenance and sustainability measures. Grants delivered through the AIP cover 75 percent of a medium-to-large primary hub airport project’s cost and up to 95 percent of a project’s cost for primary, reliever and general aviation airports. For a project to be eligible for AIP support, project airports must also be included under the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), a biennial report identifying airports that are important to public transportation and contribute to national defense, civil aviation and/or the postal service.
A part of the $1.9 billion in funding, the FAA will make first-time investments testing technologies that reduce, mitigate and remove contaminants caused by “forever chemicals,” such as Aqueous Film Forming Foam and per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAs) substances. Other primary objectives related to this fifth round of AIP funding include grants for taxiway and runway repaving, PFA remediation, noise studies and mitigation, sustainability projects and a $2.9 million Military Airport Program in Maryland.
Some AIP funded projects include:
- Tucson International Airport in Arizona – $55 million for runway relocation to meet FAA standards.
- Grand Junction Regional Airport in Colorado – $34.7 million for grading and drainage improvements to conform with FAA standards.
- Los Angeles International Airport in California – $15.8 million for sound insulation purchase and installation for 400 homes affected by airport noise.
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri – $29.1 million for taxiway reconstruction, repaving and zero-emissions equipment, including an electric sweeper and charging station.
The FAA has allocated $269 million in grants through the 2023 Supplemental Discretionary Grant Program for various airport improvements. The 62 projects receiving this funding will develop resilient airport infrastructure, lay the foundation for the proper handling and distribution of sustainable fuels, improve air quality at commercial airports, and further energy and sustainability initiatives.
Some examples of AIP Supplemental grants include:
- St. Louis Lambert International in Missouri – $20 million for airfield drainage improvements, new storage building for snow removal equipment, a maintenance bay and airfield maintenance equipment relocation.
- San Francisco Bay Oakland International in California – $18 million for airport perimeter dike improvements to enhance safety.
- Salt Lake City International in Utah – $14.5 million for vehicle service road construction to promote safer vehicle movement, improve resilience and reduce emissions.
For a full archive of AIP and FY 2023 Supplemental Discretionary grant awards, see the FAA’s AIP grants list and the AIP Supplemental Appropriations list.
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