Eligible airports can now submit applications to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to receive part of $1 billion in grant funding for terminal improvements, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced recently.
The FAA's Airport Terminal Program (ATP provides grants to eligible airports for terminal-development projects that create or improve their facilities' safety, accessibility and sustainability, the agency states in the Feb. 22 announcement. Airports operated by cities, territories, authorities and tribes in the national air transportation system are eligible to apply for grant funding, according to the announcement.
Projects to improve airfield safety by replacing aging infrastructure, relocating terminals, upgrading energy efficiency, increasing capacity and facilitating access for passengers with disabilities are encouraged, the FAA states. Projects addressing airport-owned air traffic control towers are also eligible for grant funding, the announcement reports.
“This historic new terminal program will allow our airports to build state of the art facilities that are resilient to climate change impacts and achieve environmental sustainably,” said Associate Administrator of Airports Shannetta Griffin.
Up to 55 percent of funding will be awarded to large hub airports; 15 percent will go to medium hub airports; small hub airports will get up to 20 percent of funding; and non-hub, non-primary airports will get 10 percent, according to the announcement.
The deadline to submit projects for funding consideration is March 28; the FAA encourages interested airports to make their submissions as soon as possible.
The ATP, one of three aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide a total of $5 billion in funding over five years, according to the DOT.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not just build new airport terminals, but build them in a way that brings opportunity to forgotten communities, increases competition and reduces environmental impact,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the annnouncement.
