Biden administration announces $2B in grants to improve airport infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced $1.9 billion for 519 grants in 48 states, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, in its fifth announcement under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

An additional $269 million was also announced in 2023 Supplemental Discretionary Grants to fund 62 projects at 56 U.S. airports. This competitive grant program under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) assists airport owners and operators in the development and improvement of our nation’s airport system.  

This fifth round of AIP grants, the largest announcement in program history, funds a variety of projects including airport safety and sustainability improvements and airport noise reduction in airports of all sizes and across all parts of the country. For the first time, the grants include funding for the testing of technologies to reduce, mitigate and remove contaminants caused by Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” which can contaminate air, water and soil, and are harmful to human health.  
 
“Today, we invest in our future—enhancing safety, improving sustainability and ensuring our infrastructure meets the needs of the traveling public,” FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E, said. “This funding helps ensure traveler safety, reduces the environmental impacts on communities and builds more resilient airports nationally.” 

Airports receiving grants to reconstruct taxiway and runway pavement include:  

• $55 million to Tucson International Airport in Arizona: This grant funds associated with the construction of shifting Runway 11/29 to conform with current FAA standards.   
• $34.7 million to Grand Junction Regional Airport in Colorado: This grant funds required grading and drainage to shift Runway 11/29 to conform with current FAA standards.  
• $24.4 million to Columbus Airport in Georgia: This grant funds the reconstruction of Runway 6/24 to improve safety. 
• $18.7 million to South Bend International Airport in Indiana: This grant funds the reconstruction of Taxiway B to improve safety. 

Airports receiving grants for the testing of PFAS remediation include:  

• $3.5 million to San Luis Obispo County Airport in California: This grant funds the purchase demonstration testing of three different innovative PFAS remediation technologies for both soil and water. 
• $1.2 million to Nantucket Memorial Airport in Massachusetts: This grant funds the testing of technologies like hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT) to treat PFAS-contaminated water and to test the efficacy of concrete encapsulation technology to prevent leaching of PFAS and other contaminants into water.    
• $700,000 to Pellston Regional Airport in Michigan: This grant funds the testing of soil stabilization additives to eliminate further leaching of PFAS to groundwater. 

Airports receiving grants for noise studies and mitigation include: 

• $15.8 million to Los Angeles International Airport in California: This grant funds the purchase and installation of sound insulation treatments for 400 homes affected by airport noise exposure.  
• $2.2 million to Key West International Airport in Florida: This grant funds the final design for 45 homes and the installation of sound insulation treatment for 17 homes. 
• $539,910 to Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut: This grant funds the sound insulation treatment design for 12 residences.    
• $555,019 to Chicago Midway International Airport in Illinois: This grant funds the purchase and installation of sound insulation treatments for 12 homes affected by airport noise exposure.  

Several airports are receiving a portion of funding for sustainability-related projects. Examples of these airports include: 

• $29.1 million to St. Louis/Lambert International Airport in Missouri: This grant funds the reconstruction of the existing Taxiway C pavement and pavement from Taxiway P to M and J to G. This grant also funds the purchase and installation of zero-emissions equipment, including an electric sweeper and charging station. 
• $20.4 million to Muskegon County Airport in Michigan: This grant funds the purchase and installation of zero-emissions vehicles and chargers. In addition, the grant funds shifting the Taxiway A pavement, and installation of lighting to conform with current FAA standards and improve safety. 
• $15.1 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah: This grant funds the purchase and installation of 11 zero-emissions vehicles and four chargers. Additionally, this grant funds the construction of a new terminal tarmac to bring the airport into conformity with current FAA standards. 
• $10.1 million to Fort Wayne International Airport in Indiana: This grant funds the purchase of low-emission equipment including two pre-conditioned air units and two remote ground power units. This grant also funds the expansion of the East terminal to accommodate more passengers and allow access to a broader fleet mix. The grant will fund shifting Taxiway C2 to enhance safety. 
• $6.2 million to Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport in Michigan: This grant funds the purchase and installation of low-emission equipment including 38 electric pre-conditioned air and 38 remote ground power units. 
• $3.5 million to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International in California: This grant funds the purchase and installation of 12 electric pre-conditioned air power units.  

Also being announced is a $2.9 million Military Airport Program (MAP) grant for Tipton Airport in Maryland. This grant will provide funds to the military airfield for the construction of a new terminal. The MAP program provides grants for converting former military airfields to public use, adding system capacity and reducing congestion at airports experiencing significant delays. 

The 2023 Supplemental Discretionary Grant Program provides grants to eligible airports for improvement projects including: 

• development of resilient airfield infrastructure improvements;
• infrastructure required for on-airport handling and distribution of sustainable aviation fuels; 
• improving air quality at commercial service airports, even at airports in air-quality attainment areas; and
• energy and emissions sustainability projects.

Examples of airports receiving AIP Supplemental grants include:  

• $20 million to St. Louis Lambert International in Missouri: This grant funds airfield drainage improvements and new storage buildings for snow removal equipment, sand and chemicals, a maintenance bay, and airfield maintenance equipment that must be relocated out of the floodplain to improve resiliency. 
• $18 million to San Francisco Bay Oakland International in California: This grant funds airport perimeter dike improvement to enhance safety. 
• $14.5 million to Salt Lake City International in Utah: This grant funds a portion of the construction of vehicle service roads under Taxiways U and V to promote safer vehicle movement, improve resilience, and reduce emissions.  
• $14.3 million to Kahului Airport in Hawaii: This award funds the apron light replacement project to enhance safety. 
• $10 million to Dallas Love Field in Texas: This grant funds the reconstruction of 2,400 feet of concrete on the northwest end including lighting, signage and markings, erosion mitigation, and associated utility work to assure airfield operational resiliency on this critical parallel taxiway enhancing safety. 
• $1.3 million to Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission in Louisiana: This grant funds the construction of a 30,000-gallon capacity tank, containment area, and associated facilities and equipment to provide approved Sustainable Aviation Fuel to existing helicopter tenants to enhance sustainability. 
• $1 million to Andrew Othole Memorial in New Mexico: This grant funds removing the hill located approximately 500 feet east of Runway 6/24 identified as an obstruction to improve safety.   
• $630,000 to the city of Naples Airport Authority in Florida: This grant funds the construction of a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tank to enhance sustainability. 
• $545,400 to Cheyenne Eagle Butte Airport in South Dakota: This grant funds a new automated weather observing system for enhanced approaches to the airport for medical transport, enhancing safety. 

A complete listing for both grants is available on the FAA website.