WASHINGTON - Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker announced today that the Department of Transportation has released over $1.8 million in funding for airports across the state of Mississippi.  Funding for the grants, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration, was provided through the Fiscal Year 2009 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.  
 
“Mississippi’s transportation infrastructure plays a critical role in encouraging economic and industrial growth,” Sen. Cochran said.  “The improvement of our state’s airports will enable us to attract the industry needed for the creation of more job opportunities and result in local economic growth.”
 
"For Mississippi to remain economically competitive, we must continue working to improve our transportation infrastructure, including our airports,” said Sen. Wicker. “These federal dollars will help in that effort by providing greater efficiency, security, and safety to our local airports."
 
Funds have been awarded to the following airports: 

• Columbia-Marion County Airport - $140,926.00 for the construction of a terminal building at the airport.
• Hardy-Anders Field/Natchez-Adams County Airport - $158,739.00 to rehabilitate the runway.
• Bruce Campbell Field (Madison) – $102,500.00 for the rehabilitation of parallel and connecting taxiways.
• Belzoni Municipal Airport – $113,180.00 to construct a hangar and rehabilitate the airport beacon and runway shoulders.
• Tunica Municipal Airport – $230,504.00 for the construction of an access road.
• John E. Lewis Field (McComb) – $25,450.00 for the rehabilitation of the runway.
• Brookhaven – Lincoln County Airport – $103,207.00 for constructing a new taxiway and purchasing a new fuel tank.   
• Hattiesburg Bobby L . Chain Municipal Airport - $75,362.00 to improve airport drainage.
• Prentiss – Jefferson Davis County Airport – $77,057.00 to rehabilitate the runway.
• Ruleville – Drew Airport – $204,210.00 for the construction of a hangar and taxiway, installation of miscellaneous NAVAIDS and perimeter fencing.
• Yazoo County Airport – $17,119.00 for the installation of apron lighting.
• Copiah County Airport – $52,250.00 for the application of a seal coat to a section of the apron.
• Paul Pittman Memorial Airport (Walthall) – $106,432.00 to construct a hangar and extend the taxiway.
• Hollandale Municipal Airport – $216,604.00 for the rehabilitation of the runway. 
• Vicksburg Municipal Airport – $63,223.00 for the rehabilitation of a section of apron. 
• Indianola Municipal Airport – $128,815.00 to install perimeter fencing and rehabilitate the airport beacon.
• I.H. Bass Jr. Memorial Airport (Lumberton) – $77,340.00 for the expansion of the apron.