Press Release - U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $1.96 Million in Infrastructure Grants to Four Airports in North Dakota

WASHINGTON U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) will award $478 million in airport infrastructure grants, the fourth allotment of the total $3.18 billion inAirport Improvement Program(AIP) funding for airports across the United States.

This significant investment in airport improvements in North Dakota will fund construction and rehabilitation projects that will help maintain high levels of safety in U.S. aviation, Chao said.

The grants to airports in North Dakota include the following awards:

• $150,000 to Cooperstown Municipal Airport to acquire land for flight approaches.
• $786,542 to Grand Forks International Airport to reconstruct and rehabilitate airfield aprons.
• $276,748 to Mott Municipal Airport for runway, taxiway, apron and access road rehabilitation.
• $750,000 to Rolla Municipal Airport for apron construction and building construction.

The FAA will award grants to 232 airports in 43 states, including American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. 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 these grants will enhance safety and capacity while promoting economic growth in the regions served by each airport.

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 FAAs most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs.Under Secretary Chaos 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.