U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced that the department will award $477 million in airport infrastructure grants to 264 airports in 44 states, the Pacific Islands, and the District of Columbia. This is the third allotment of the total $3.18 billion in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for airports across the United States.

"Infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs and provide other economic benefits for local communities," said Chao.

Selected projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of firefighting facilities, 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 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 include:

• Des Moines International Airport will receive $4.77 million to reconstruct an apron and taxiway
• Chicago/Rockford International Airport will receive almost $11.3 million to rehabilitate a runway and taxiway
• MBS International in Saginaw, Mich., will receive almost $4.65 million to construct a taxiway
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain will receive more than $9.7 million to construct a taxiway, improve the runway safety area, install taxiway lighting, and install runway incursion marking
• Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut will receive more than $2.7 million for noise mitigation measure for residences within the 65-69 DNL
• Portsmouth International at Pease in New Hampshire will receive almost $13.5 million to reconstruct a runway
• Missoula International will receive more than $9.2 million to construct a terminal building
• Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport in Washington State will receive almost $27.5 million to construct a runway, acquire an emergency generator, and acquire snow removal equipment
• San Diego International Airport will receive more than $4.48 million for noise mitigation measures for residences within the 65-69 DNL

For a complete listing of grants, visit www.faa.gov/airports/aip/grantapportion_data

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