Determined to buoy air travels and by implication, increase aviation sector’s contributions to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth as the COVID-19 pandemic impact remains huge on the economy, the United States on Friday announced that additional $1.2bn grants would be provided for airports nationwide to upgrade their facilities.
The U.S Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, who made the announcement, disclosed that the Trump Administration would award more than $1.2 billion in airport safety and infrastructure grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to 405 airports in 50 states and the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Palau, and the US Virgin Islands.
She said: “This $1.2 billion federal investment will improve our nation’s airport infrastructure, enhance safety, and strengthen growth in local communities, which is especially important as the economy recovers from COVID-19.”
The complete listing of grants and an interactive map of airports receiving funding is available on the FAA website.
According to the U.S government, the total includes over $1 billion from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and $152 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grants to equal a 100 percent federal share.
