With winter weather on its way for the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has distributed grants to help airports prepare for snow events as a key part of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). These airport improvements reduce the risk of flight cancellations and keep air traffic moving.
FAA awards more than $76.2 million in grants
The FAA has awarded over $76.2 million this year in grant dollars for snowplows, de-icing equipment, and new or upgraded buildings in which to store winter preparedness gear, to various airports across the United States. As FAA Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta Griffin, explained,
We can’t let winter weather stop aircraft from safely landing and taking off. This funding will help keep airports operating this winter and get passengers and cargo to their work, families and vacations safely.
Anchorage, Alaska’s Ted Stevens International Airport wins a $3,152,552 grant
For Ted Stevens International Airport up in Alaska, having reliable snow removal equipment is vital. Alaska’s US Senator Ted Sullivan commented,
“Less than nine hours away from 95 percent of the industrialized world, the airport is of great strategic importance. I'm pleased to see these funds awarded to the airport and look forward to additional announcements on allotted airport infrastructure funds.”
The airport has also received other grants for reconstructing taxi lanes and rehabilitating an apron used by aircraft for parking.
Zaramie Lindseth, Airfield Maintenance Manager, said in International Airport Review that “With three runways in excess of 10,500ft, a web of 27 taxiways, and approximately 33 million square feet of airfield pavement” there is a snow plan that has snow removal equipment working during the storm.
Furthermore, Ted Stevens International Airport has never been closed due to a snow event – no small accomplishment for an airport at 61 degrees north latitude. When tested by “severe ice storms in late December” 2021, Lindseth explained that “The events were significant enough to shatter historical records in terms of deicing products used to keep ANC open and operational.”
Great Falls International Airport receives grants for a de-icing pad
Great Falls International Airport in Montana has needed a de-icing pad for an environmentally safe location to de-ice aircraft. According to The Points Guy, de-icing pads can capture de-icing fluid for recycling instead of the chemicals getting into the local watershed.
According to the Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls has received several rounds of funding because inflation has been eroding the original funding to provide this key service. The pads will also provide a safe space to de-ice aircraft away from ground traffic.
To US Senator Jon Tester,
“Montana is booming, and it’s critical that the Treasure State has up-to-date infrastructure to support our growing economy. This funding will allow our airports to expand operations and support the increasing demand for reliable, affordable flights in and out of Montana. Improved facilities will pave the way for more flights to the region, allowing Montana to stay connected and support good paying jobs here for years to come.”
Grantee table
From the FAA, here is a list of grantees who received financial aid to prepare for the 2022-2023 winter:
State |
City Name |
Airport |
Project description |
AIP Total |
Alaska |
Adak |
Adak (Naval) Station/Mitchell Field |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$415,842 |
Anchorage |
Ted Stevens Anchorage International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$3,152,552 |
|
Atmautluak |
Atmautluak |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$470,156 |
|
Cold Bay |
Cold Bay |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,346,102 |
|
Deadhorse |
Deadhorse |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$816,006 |
|
Dillingham |
Dillingham |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$424,148 |
|
Fairbanks |
Fairbanks International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,671,431 |
|
Grayling |
Grayling |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$384,179 |
|
Homer |
Homer |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,268,505 |
|
Hooper Bay |
Hooper Bay |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$434,372 |
|
Huslia |
Huslia |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$384,179 |
|
Iliamna |
Iliamna |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$852,771 |
|
Kenai |
Kenai Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$125,625 |
|
Ketchikan |
Ketchikan International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$852,771 |
|
Kiana |
Bob Baker Memorial |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$384,179 |
|
Koliganek |
Koliganek |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$440,344 |
|
Koyukuk |
Koyukuk |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$384,179 |
|
Nightmute |
Nightmute |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$454,820 |
|
Perryville |
Perryville |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$474,262 |
|
Port Heiden |
Port Heiden |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$193,029 |
|
Sitka |
Sitka Rocky Gutierrez |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$450,152 |
|
Ugashik |
Ugashik |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$468,022 |
|
California |
Mammoth Lakes |
Mammoth Yosemite |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$936,625 |
Colorado |
Hayden |
Yampa Valley |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$578,099 |
Peyton |
Meadow Lake |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$155,000 |
|
Pueblo |
Pueblo Memorial |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$336,672 |
|
Connecticut |
New Haven |
Tweed/New Haven |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,046,112 |
Idaho |
Cascade |
Cascade |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$490,779 |
Hayden Lake |
Coeur D'Alene/Pappy Boyington Field |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$961,764 |
|
Paris |
Bear Lake County |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$426,857 |
|
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$514,500 |
|||
Twin Falls |
Joslin Field - Magic Valley Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$780,944 |
|
Illinois |
Moline |
Quad City International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,262,970 |
Indiana |
Richmond |
Richmond Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$290,412 |
Iowa |
Estherville |
Estherville Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$282,600 |
Sioux City |
Sioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day Field |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$625,922 |
|
Kansas |
Dodge City |
Dodge City Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$559,657 |
Maine |
Rockland |
Knox County Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$531,900 |
Michigan |
Escanaba |
Delta County |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$852,514 |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$57,000 |
|||
Grand Rapids |
Gerald R Ford International |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$654,786 |
|
Iron Mountain |
Ford |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$607,500 |
|
Minnesota |
Bemidji |
Bemidji Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$358,436 |
Brainerd |
Brainerd Lakes Regional |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$2,189,414 |
|
Duluth |
Duluth International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$686,790 |
|
Litchfield |
Litchfield Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$306,033 |
|
Marshall |
Southwest Minnesota Regional Marshall/Ryan Field |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$135,598 |
|
Rochester |
Rochester International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$829,700 |
|
Montana |
Great Falls |
Great Falls International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$633,982 |
Construct Deicing Pad with Associated Facilities |
$3,301,240 |
|||
New Hampshire |
Portsmouth |
Portsmouth International at Pease |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,103,174 |
New Jersey |
Atlantic City |
Atlantic City International |
Construct Deicing Containment Facility |
$9,776,486 |
New York |
Corning |
Corning-Painted Post |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$210,494 |
Elmira |
Elmira/Corning Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$988,861 |
|
Endicott |
Tri-Cities |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$233,006 |
|
Hudson |
Columbia County |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$32,741 |
|
Jamestown |
Chautauqua County/Jamestown |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$311,228 |
|
Massena |
Massena International-Richards Field |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$104,500 |
|
Ogdensburg |
Ogdensburg International |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$423,700 |
|
Penn Yan |
Penn Yan |
Acquire Aircraft Deicing Equipment |
$267,597 |
|
Saranac Lake |
Adirondack Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$641,012 |
|
Watertown |
Watertown International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$396,540 |
|
White Plains |
Westchester County |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$613,696 |
|
North Dakota |
Dickinson |
Dickinson - Theodore Roosevelt Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,374,000 |
Minot |
Minot International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$759,150 |
|
Mohall |
Mohall Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$201,925 |
|
Rugby |
Rugby Municipal |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$74,300 |
|
Watford City |
Watford City Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$300,000 |
|
Williston |
Williston Basin International Airport |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$360,000 |
|
Construct Deicing Pad with Associated Facilities |
$277,777 |
|||
Ohio |
Bowling Green |
Wood County |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$92,538 |
Columbus |
Rickenbacker International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$3,667,964 |
|
Mount Gilead |
Morrow County |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$92,565 |
|
Oklahoma |
Stillwater |
Stillwater Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$633,996 |
Tulsa |
Tulsa International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$657,111 |
|
Oregon |
Eugene |
Mahlon Sweet Field |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,000,000 |
Pennsylvania |
Altoona |
Altoona-Blair County |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$404,474 |
South Dakota |
Canton |
Canton Municipal |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$317,000 |
Rapid City |
Rapid City Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$839,000 |
|
Texas |
Amarillo |
Rick Husband Amarillo International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$1,365,187 |
Utah |
Moab |
Canyonlands Regional |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$849,420 |
Virginia |
Charlottesville |
Charlottesville-Albemarle |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$644,040 |
Washington |
Bellingham |
Bellingham International |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$2,694,567 |
Seattle |
Boeing Field/King County International |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$2,350,167 |
|
West Virginia |
Lewisburg |
Greenbrier Valley |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$4,569,500 |
Parkersburg |
Mid-Ohio Valley Regional |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$550,024 |
|
Wyoming |
Afton |
Afton Municipal |
Acquire Snow Removal Equipment |
$201,601 |
Kemmerer |
Kemmerer Municipal |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$341,145 |
|
Laramie |
Laramie Regional |
Construct/Rehabilitate/Modify/Expand Snow Removal Equipment Building |
$242,880 |
What are your impressions? Please share in the comments below.
Sources: FAA Winter Weather AIP Grants in Fiscal Year 2022, Great Falls Tribune, International Airport Review, The Points Guy