The Denver and Grand Junction airports are set to receive federal grants for improvements, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Tuesday.
Denver International Airport will receive $8.7 million to support projects to lower emissions on its campus and meet state emissions responsibilities.
Grand Junction Regional Airport will receive $15.7 million to construct a new 10,000-foot runway. The total allotted under the grant covers the costs of grading the land and adding new drainage to support the runway, according to the FAA.
The grants are part of a $431.8 million funding spree by the FAA under its Airport Improvement Program (AIP). In all, 60 airports across 31 states will receive funds.
“These grants support airport infrastructure across our National Airspace System, providing federal investment to communities of all sizes, from remote areas to major metropolitan cities,” FAA Administrator Scott Dickson said in a statement.
Last year, 27 airports in Colorado received AIP funding.
“To get passengers where they need to be safely and sustainably, we must make ongoing investments in our aviation system,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “These grants will help fulfill our commitment to build a safer, more equitable and more sustainable future.”
Typically local authorities are required to provide grant matching funds for AIP projects, but the federal American Rescue Plan removed this requirement, instead requiring the federal government to cover 100% of the project costs.
The FAA has awarded more than 1,700 AIP grants so far in 2021 totaling more than $3.2 billion in funding, according to agency data.
This article was originally posted on Denver, Grand Junction airports receiving millions in FAA grants