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

 A ground crew member walks past a cancelled [JetBlue] flight due to a snow storm at the Newark Liberty International Airport on November 15, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. The early season storm caused flight cancellations in much of the northeast
A proper external inspection of the aircraft is important in icing conditions. Photo: Getty Images

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

 An ice rainbow appears through ice fog at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on January 6, 2020 in Anchorage, Alaska. These rare rainbows occur when the sun interacts with ice crystals suspended in the air.
Photo: Getty Images

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