Corbett: State, Federal Investment to Enhance 27 Airports

Twenty-seven airports across Pennsylvania will improve facilities and enhance safety with a $12.6 million investment of federal and state funds, Gov. Tom Corbett announced today.

Washington County Airport will be granted $1.2 million to crack seal and re-mark a runway and taxiways, and to remove obstructions and acquire land.

“More than 290,000 people in Pennsylvania rely on the aviation industry for jobs,” Corbett said in a statement. “It’s vital to maintain investments in these airports so they can continue operating safely and are able to expand to meet business demands.”

The state portion of funding—$805,547 from PennDOT’s aviation development program—comes from the state’s jet fuel tax and leverages more than $743,047 in local matching funds.

The Federal Aviation Administration is providing $11.8 million in grants through the block grant program, which is funded through taxes collected nationally on airline tickets, freight waybills, international departure fees and the sale of aviation fuel. Airports receive up to 95 percent of eligible project costs for projects included in Pennsylvania’s 12-year transportation program, according to a release.

Public-use airports in the state are eligible for the aviation development program. Airports eligible for the federal block grant program include: general aviation airports, designated reliever airports and non-primary commercial airline airports (those with fewer than 10,000 annual passengers) that are part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

The state has 133 public-use airports and heliports, and 15 airports have scheduled commercial service.

For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us and then click on the “Public Participation 2013 Program Update” button, or call 717-783-8800.