WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., today announced almost $35.2 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants for airport improvement throughout Mississippi.

The 39 grant awards were made through the long-running Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and the newer Airport Improvement Grant (AIG) program. Several of the AIG grants are designed complement AIP grants.

“These grants are direct investments in safety and economic development in Mississippi,” Wicker said. “I have been a strong supporter of infrastructure, especially for airports, because they are a critical component of our economy. This funding will help airports across our state make the improvements they need to keep contributing and protect the flying public.”

“The importance of local airports to the overall vitality and growth of communities cannot be overstated.  These FAA awards will support important projects and upgrades to improve safety and efficiency at airports across Mississippi,” said Hyde-Smith, ranking member on the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee.

The 22 AIP grants for Mississippi which total $24.99 million, include:

1. Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, Jackson – $14,331,127 to rehabilitate taxiway and taxiway lighting.
2. Olive Branch/Taylor Field Airport, Olive Branch – $2,156,050 to reconstruct runway and taxiway lighting, and airfield guidance signs.
3. Poplarville/Pearl River County Airport, Poplarville – $2,090,000 to shift or reconfigure existing taxiway, rehabilitate the apron, taxiway, and runway.
4. Houston Municipal Airport, Houston – $784,631 to reconstruct runway.
5. Golden Triangle Regional Airport, Columbus – $700,000 to construct a building.
6. Yazoo County Airport, Yazoo City – $700,000 to rehabilitate runway and taxiway lighting and reconstruct an airport beacon.
7. Macon Municipal Airport, Macon – $600,000 to construct, modify, or improve a hangar.
8. Fletcher Field Airport, Clarksdale – $469,710 to expand apron.
9. Okolona Municipal/Richard Stovall Field Airport, Okolona – $467,832 to install perimeter fencing.
10. Carthage-Leake County Airport, Carthage – $425,093 to reconstruct access road.
11. C A Moore Airport, Lexington – $315,990 to construct, extend, or improve safety area.
12. Holly Springs-Marshall County Airport, Holly Springs – $300,000 to acquire land for development.
13. Pontotoc County Airport, Pontotoc – $285,675 to reconstruct runway lighting.
14. Hattiesburg/Laurel Regional Airport, Moselle – $204,894 to update the airport master plan or study.
15. Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport, Brookhaven – $168,586 to mark obstructions, improve lighting, and remove non-hazardous obstructions.
16. Greenwood-Leflore Airport, Carroll County – $150,000 to rehabilitate runway.
17. Indianola Municipal Airport, Indianola – $150,000 to seal taxiway pavement surface and pavement joints.
18. Louisville/Winston County Airport, Louisville – $150,000 to expand apron.
19. Winona-Montgomery County Airport, Winona – $150,000 to seal runway pavement surface and pavement joints.
20. Hardy-Anders Field/Natchez-Adams County Airport, Natchez – $146,050 to reconstruct taxiway lighting.
21. Greenville Mid-Delta Airport, Greenville – $144,400 to conduct or update a study.
22. Vicksburg Municipal Airport, Vicksburg – $100,800 to acquire land for development.

The 17 AIG grants for Mississippi, which total $10.2 million, include:

1. Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, Jackson – $3,799,704 to rehabilitate the existing taxiway lighting system and rehabilitate 4,800 feet of the existing taxiway pavement.
2. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport – $1,924,000 to reconstruct runway lighting.
3. Hardy-Anders Field/Natchez-Adams County Airport, Natchez – $587,000 for reconstructing the existing airport rotating beacon and taxiway lighting systems that have reached the end of their useful lives.
4. Olive Branch/Taylor Field Airport, Olive Branch – $587,000 for rehabilitating 12,000 square yards of the existing T-Hangar apron.
5. Greenville Mid-Delta Airport, Greenville – $570,000 for funding the design phase of a project to improve 3,500 feet of the Taxiway B drainage system and rehabilitating 110,000 square yards of the north apron.
6. Greenwood-Leflore Airport, Greenwood – $534,556 for acquiring a new emergency generator and rehabilitating 6,501 feet of Runway 18/36.
7. John Bell Williams Airport, Raymond – $344,700 for rehabilitating 1,500 feet of the existing T-Hangar access taxiway pavement.
8. Winona-Montgomery County Airport, Winona – $304,000 for performing sealing/crack repair to 4,505 feet of parallel and connecting taxiway pavements, 18,011 square yards of apron surface, and 3,000 feet of Runway 3/21 surface.
9. Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport, Brookhaven – $304,000 for expanding the existing north general aviation apron by 2,500 square yards.
10. Vicksburg Municipal Airport, Vicksburg – $270,000 for rehabilitating 2,650 square yards of the existing apron pavement and performing crack repair and joint filling to 5,001 feet of the existing Runway 1/19 surface.
11. Houston Municipal Airport, Houston – $223,000 for reconstructing 1,400 feet of Runway 3/21.
12. Macon Municipal Airport, Macon – $220,000 for constructing a new 7,500 square foot 6 T-hangar.
13. Louisville/Winston County Airport, Louisville – $159,000 for expanding the existing general aviation apron by 6,900 square yards and rehabilitating an existing box hangar.
14. Carthage-Leake County Airport, Carthage – $158,355 for improving the existing airport fuel farm and reconstructing 2,470 feet of the existing access road.
15. Pontotoc County Airport, Pontotoc – $141,400 for reconstructing the existing Runway 11/29 lighting system.
16. C A Moore Airport, Lexington – $126,000 for updating the airport master plan narrative report and airport layout plan.
17. Panola County Airport, Batesville – $108,090 for funding the design phase of constructing a 6,900 square yard general aviation apron.