The U.S. Division of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award seven Alaska airports a complete of $42 million in Airport Enchancment Program grants to assist with security, entry and sustainability efforts.
The cash comes from the fiscal yr 2021 Airport Enchancment Program, which receives roughly $3.2 billion in funding every year.
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The FAA has awarded greater than 64 grants totaling $257.four million to Alaska airports throughout the fiscal yr 2021.
“These grants replicate our ongoing dedication to the distinctive wants of Alaska aviation group and our deal with supporting the intensive Alaska Nationwide Airspace System,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson stated in an announcement.
In accordance with the FAA, aviation supplies the spine of day by day commerce to many communities within the state, together with the supply of meals and life-saving provides, inter-city and inter-village transportation, emergency medical evacuations and day by day commuting.
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Clearly, a lot of that is because of its remoteness. Roughly 82 p.c of communities in Alaska are solely accessible by air. Many of those communities are residence to Alaska natives, which characterize almost 20 p.c of the state’s inhabitants.
“Transportation connectivity is paramount to achieve communities all through our nice nation. These grants are key to realize that purpose,” stated Arlando Teller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs.
The tasks won’t must pay the standard native match thanks to just about $100 million in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act.
The grants embrace:
— Bethel Airport in Bethel, Alaska: an extra $6.zero million to the $34.Three million introduced in August to interchange the airport lighting vault, reconstruct airfield steerage indicators, strengthen Runway 01L/19R, rehabilitate the taxiway, and buy snow removing gear and an emergency generator.
— Chefornak Airport in Chefornak, Alaska: $6.6 million to rehabilitate the entry highway to the airport, the airport’s runway and the apron space the place planes park.
— Kipnuk Airport, Kipnuk, Alaska: $18.9 million for enhancements to navigational aids, which embrace putting in new aids in addition to the reconstruction of the airport beacon and taxiway lighting. As well as, the airport will use grant funding to widen the runway and rehabilitate the taxiway and apron the place planes park.
— Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai, Alaska: $506,500 to assemble, lengthen and enhance the airport security space.
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— Warren “Bud” Woods Palmer Municipal Airport, Palmer, Alaska: $526,000 to enhance airport drainage and erosion management for the taxiway.
— Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr. Memorial Airport, Atqasuk, Alaska: add an extra $3.1 million to the $20.7 million introduced in August to put in navigational aids, together with apron edge lights and flood lighting, reconstruct runway and taxiway lighting, substitute the airport lighting vault, set up further perimeter fencing, and rehabilitate the airport’s runway, taxiway, and apron the place planes park. Atqasuk, a distant group in northern Alaska, is solely depending on aviation for the transportation of individuals, items, and significant providers.
— Metlakatla Airport, Metlakatla, Alaska: $6.5 million to restore the seaplane base so it may be used to securely transport items and providers to distant communities in Alaska, together with the Metlakatla Indian Neighborhood on Annette Island in southern Alaska.
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