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July 20, 2018

19 Maine airports to get $14M in FAA funding

Courtesy / Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority Brunswick Executive Airport is among the 19 Maine airports receiving $14 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to make infrastructure improvements. The airport at Brunswick Landing received $200,000 to rehabilitate 6,500 square yards of the existing terminal apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement. It also rehabilitates 180 feet of the existing Taxiway G needed to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement.

The Federal Aviation Administration is putting $14 million into infrastructure improvements at 19 Maine airports, the agency said in a news release this week.

The FAA reported that Portland International Jetport will receive a $3.9 million grant from the federal Airport Improvement Program, the largest award this year in the state, according to FAA data.

The funding will be used to construct a taxiway and to rebuild and expand an airplane parking apron at the jetport, which experienced its all-time busiest year in 2017, handling 1.86 million passengers.

Machias Valley Airport will reconstruct its runway with the help of a roughly $3.1 million grant, including funds awarded in June.

Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport will get a total of almost $1.5 million, the third-highest award in the state, for lighting and safety improvements.

Other Maine airports that will receive AIP funds include Auburn-Lewiston Airport, Brunswick Executive Airport and Houlton International Airport.

Bangor International Airport has not been awarded an AIP grant so far in 2018, according to the FAA.

The Maine recipients were some of 390 airports nationwide awarded grants in the recent tranche of funding, which totaled $660 million. The FAA will allocate $3.18 billion in AIP grants this year, including entitlement funds — fixed amounts based on airport traffic volume — and discretionary grants that are made on a priority basis.

The AIP, funded through passenger taxes, pays for one-third of capital development at most airports, according to the federal Government Accountability Office.

Pingree outlines grants for District 1 airports

In a separate news release, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine District 1, reported that the FAA awards for Maine included nearly $6.9 million in grants to airports in the District 1 communities of Biddeford, Brunswick, Owls Head, Portland, Sanford, Wiscasset and Waterville, as well as the State of Maine for statewide airport planning work.

Grant summaries provided by Pingree include:

  • Biddeford Municipal: $ 480,000 to remove vegetative obstructions from the Runway 24 approach surface. This grant funds the first phase, which consists of the acquisition of 10 easements needed to remove the obstructions.
  • Brunswick Executive Airport: $ 200,000 to rehabilitate 6,500 square yards of the existing terminal apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement. It also rehabilitates 180 feet of the existing Taxiway G needed to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement.
  • Knox County Regional: grants of $703,800 and $144,000 to extend Runway 13/31 to 5,400 feet to meet the operational needs of the airport.
  • Portland International Jetport: $3,879,000 to reconstruct 18,250 square yards of the existing apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life. It also expands the existing Terminal apron by 4,000 square yards to accommodate increased use of the terminal facilities and constructs 900 feet of Taxiway C shoulder pavements to meet current FAA design standards.
  • Sanford Seacoast Regional: $554,694 to install a 2,700-foot long perimeter fence to deter unauthorized persons and vehicles from entering onto the airfield. It also constructs a 7,233 square foot snow removal equipment building to extend the life of the equipment by protecting it from adverse weather conditions.
  • Waterville Robert Lafleur: $ 72,000 to conduct a wildlife hazard assessment to identify the wildlife species observed, their numbers, locations, local movement, and daily/seasonal activities. Lafleur also will receive $247,500 to fund the reimbursement for the removal of runway obstructions completed in September 2017.
  • Wiscasset: $ 34,200 to fund the reimbursement for the Runway 7 obstruction removal completed in September 2017.

Pingree reported that the state of Maine will receive $580,000 to evaluate existing airport system and identify airport development needs throughout the state.

Read more

Brunswick Executive Airport gets $6.2 million grant for hangar, upgrades

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