WASHINGTON, D. C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker today reported that more than 30 Mississippi airport facilities will benefit from $8.6 million in federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants awarded today by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

AIP grants awarded to Mississippi will be used to support infrastructure development projects that will improve operational safety and efficiency at local airport facilities.  The grants derive from funding Congress approved in the FY2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

“These grants, large and small, will advance safety and overall efficiency at local airport facilities.  In doing so, these projects will help our counties and cities offer aviation services that are important for expanding economic development,” Cochran said.

“This grant funding will help strengthen Mississippi’s aviation infrastructure and improve safety at our local airports,” said Wicker. “It is critical that our airports operate safely and efficiently so they can continue to help keep passengers and commerce moving across our state.”
 

The Federal Aviation Administration oversees the AIP grant distribution.  Earlier this month, 11 Mississippi communities received AIP grants totaling more than $2.3 million.

The 32 AIP grants for Mississippi announced today will support the following airport projects:

• Jackson-Evers International Airport, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority -- $2,951,070 for terminal building improvements, including replacement passenger boarding bridges
• Trent Lott International Airport, Jackson County -- $809,753 for runway and taxiway lighting rehabilitation
• Waynesboro Municipal Airport, Waynesboro -- $450,377 for Phase I taxiway construction
• Mississippi Department of Transportation, State of Mississippi -- $400,000 to update the State Airport System Plan
• Hawkins Field, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority -- $300,000 for airfield guidance sign installation
• Houston Municipal Airport, Houston -- $286,703 for land acquisition for runway extension and approaches
• McComb-Pike County John E. Lewis Field, McComb -- $271,750 for airport drainage improvements
• Dena Griffin Memorial Airport, Wiggins – $238,359 for land acquisition to improve runway zone protection
• George M. Bryan Field Airport, Starkville -- $216,447 for land acquisition for approaches and drainage improvements
• Clarke County Airport, Clarke County -- $213,490 for Phase IV of a runway extension safety project
• Magee Municipal Airport, Magee -- $190,000 for land acquisition and obstruction removal
• Thigpen Field, Bay Springs -- $187,411 for access road improvements and tree removal
• Picayune Municipal Airport, Picayune -- $165,056 for runway rehabilitation
• Roscoe Turner Airport, Corinth and Alcorn County -- $154,790 for automated weather reporting equipment installation and taxiway rehabilitation
• Cleveland Municipal Airport, Cleveland -- $153,464 for a runway extension, including site preparation and design
• Copiah County Airport, Copiah County -- $144,013 for runway construction
• Water Valley Municipal Airport, Water Valley -- $138,684 for runway and taxiway rehabilitation
• University-Oxford Airport, University of Mississippi, Oxford -- $127,358 for runway vertical/visual guidance system installation
• Kosciusko-Attala County Airport, Kosciusko -- $115,241 for runway rehabilitation
• Louisville-Winston County Airport, Louisville -- $112,812 for property acquisition and runway rehabilitation
• Hardy-Anders Field, Natchez- Adams County Airport Board -- $104,661 for runway rehabilitation
• Stennis International Airport, Hancock County -- $104,500 for airport apron construction and wildlife hazard assessments
• Bruce Campbell Field, Madison -- $100,684 for airfield guidance sign installation and an airport master plan update study
• Philadelphia Municipal Airport, Philadelphia -- $92,851 for fuel service improvements to meet environmental requirements
• Hollandale Municipal Airport, Hollandale -- $90,771 for hangar construction
• Columbus-Lowndes County Airport, Columbus and Lowndes County -- $86,903 for airport fuel service improvements, as well as runway and taxiway rehabilitation
• I.H. Bass Jr. Memorial Airport, Lumberton -- $80,706 for land acquisition, access road improvements and taxiway lighting installation
• Okolona Municipal Airport-Richard Stovall Field, Okolona -- $75,854 for hangar construction
• Vicksburg Municipal Airport, Vicksburg – $75,000 for runway vertical/visual guidance system and an automated weather observation system installation
• Macon Municipal Airport, Macon -- $71,250 for runway rehabilitation
• James H. Easom Field, Newton -- $58,900 to conduct an aeronautical survey to improve aircraft approach
• Holly Springs-Marshall County Airport, Holly Springs and Marshall County -- $38,000 for land acquisition and a runway length justification study

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