$1.4M granted to state airports

Airports in Pine Bluff and southeast Arkansas are among recipients of federal funding announced Friday.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $1.4 million in federal grants to airports and airfields in Arkansas to offset costs and maintain jobs as a result of covid-19 as well as provide for increased sanitation to combat the spread of pathogens at these facilities.

U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, along with Congressmen Rick Crawford, French Hill, Bruce Westerman and Steve Womack, announced the funding in a news release.

The following airports are recipients of Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act funding:

■ Pine Bluff Regional/Grider Field — $13,000 to the city of Pine Bluff.

■ McGehee Municipal — $9,000 to the city of McGehee.

■ Sheridan Municipal — $13,000 to Grant County.

■ South Arkansas Regional at Goodwin Field — $23,000 to the city of El Dorado.

■ Hope Municipal — $13,000 to the city of Hope.

■ Harrell Field — $9,000 to the city of Camden.

■ Ralph C. Weiser Field — $9,000 to the city of Magnolia.

■ Drake Field — $57,162 to the city of Fayetteville.

■ West Memphis Municipal — $23,000 to the city of West Memphis.

■ Saline County Regional —

$23,000 to Saline County.

■ North Little Rock Municipal — $23,000 to the city of North Little Rock.

■ Batesville Regional — $23,000 to Batesville Regional Airport.

■ Bentonville Municipal/ Louise M. Thaden Field — $23,000 to the city of Bentonville.

■ Baxter County Airport — $23,000 to Baxter County.

■ Smith Field — $13,000 to the city of Siloam Springs.

■ Morrilton Municipal — $13,000 to the city of Morrilton.

■ Russellville Regional — $13,000 to the city of Russellville.

■ Pocahontas Municipal — $13,000 to the city of Pocahontas.

■ Melbourne MunicipalJohn E Miller Field — $13,000 to the city of Melbourne.

■ Clinton Municipal — $13,000 to the city of Clinton.

■ Corning Municipal — $13,000 to the city of Corning.

■ Bearce Airport — $9,000 to the city of Mount Ida.

■ Clarksville Municipal — $9,000 to the city of Clarksville.

■ Texarkana Regional-Webb Field — $1,020,766 to the Texarkana Airport Authority (including an additional concessions grant to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking and in-terminal concessions).

FUNDING DETAILS

The DOT, through the Federal Aviation Administration, is distributing the funds appropriated through the coronavirus relief bill, which passed with the support of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation in December 2020.

“Our local airports connect our communities, residents and businesses. These grants will ensure operations continue to run smoothly and help provide a safe environment for travelers and personnel. As we turn the corner on the pandemic, we look forward to seeing travel steadily increase,” members said.

In recent weeks, members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation have announced more than $10 million in coronavirus relief funding awarded to state airports and airfields by the DOT. The Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act was signed into law by former President Donald Trump on Dec. 27, 2020. The deadline to apply for the program’s grants is June 30.