Airports get millions in federal relief funds

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport received $9.5 million in federal funding, Louisville’s Ali Airport got almost $22 million and smaller airports across the region got everything from $1,000 to $69,000 in federal coronavirus stimulus funds.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced Wednesday the award of approximately $10 billion to commercial and general aviation airports from the $2.2 trillion coronoavirus response package passed last month.

The grants will provide economic relief to airports around the country affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Other airport grants in the region include: Danville, Georgetown, Mt. Sterling and Frankfort, $69,000 each; Richmond, Morehead, Flemingsburg, London, and Middlesboro, West Liberty, Stanton and Williamsburg, $20,000 each; and Jackson and Pine Knot, $1,000.

This funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.

The FAA encourages airport sponsors to spend the grants funds immediately to help minimize any adverse impact from the current public health emergency. Airport sponsors should work with their local FAA Office of Airports field office on the application and grant-agreement process.

The CARES Act also provides funds to increase the Federal share to 100 percent for grants awarded under the fiscal year 2020 appropriations for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Supplemental Discretionary grants. Under normal circumstances, AIP grant recipients contribute a matching percentage of the project costs. Providing this additional funding and eliminating the local share will allow critical safety and capacity projects to continue as planned regardless of airport sponsors’ current financial circumstances.

The FAA will use a streamlined application and grant-agreement process to make this funding immediately available for critical airport needs. The funds will be available as soon as the airport sponsor executes a grant agreement.

The CARES Act provides new funds distributed by various formulas for all airports that are part of the national airport system. This includes all commercial service airports, all reliever airports and some public-owned general aviation airports.