U.S. Department of Transportation awards $76 million in airport safety and infrastructure grants

Key Takeaways

On February 19, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $76 million in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This funding is the first allotment of the $3.2 billion in AIP funding that will be awarded to airports across the nation in FY 2021.

Grantees included Broward County, Fla., which owns and operates the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The county received a $20 million reimbursement through AIP for a runway extension project to increase aircraft capacity and reduce delays that was completed in September 2015.

AIP grants fund capital projects without the financial burden of debt financing. The grants are flexible and may be used for runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of firefighting facilities, noise mitigation, emissions reduction, and the maintenance of taxiways, aprons and terminals. With 34 percent of public airports directly supported by counties, AIP provides crucial funding for local governments to maintain and improve the nation’s airport infrastructure.

A longstanding county priority, NACo supports continued funding for the AIP and an increase in the federal share for airport development projects. NACo is also supportive of legislation that would improve AIP, such as H.R. 5912, the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act. NACo will continue to advocate for county infrastructure priorities as Congress and the administration work toward developing a comprehensive infrastructure package that will likely include significant investments in aviation and airports.