GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The U.S. Secretary of Transportation announcing Tuesday 94 Michigan airports will receive funding as a result of the sharp drop in airport traffic due to the coronavirus.
The $256,958,771 in grant funding is part of the CARES Act and will help save jobs, support continuing operations and will replace lost revenue after the abrupt decline in passenger traffic due to COVID-19.
“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao in a statement.
Airports can use the money for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses, including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.
The Federal Aviation Administration encourages airports to spend the money right away to help keep harmful financial effects of the virus to a minimum.
The CARES Act will also provide funds to increase the Federal share to 100% for Airport Improvement Program grants that are issued during the 2020 fiscal year.
The FAA application and grant-agreement process will make funds available as soon as the airport sponsor executes the process and will be available for all airports that are a part of the national airport system.
This includes all commercial service airports, all reliever airports and some public-owned general aviation airports, including
- Gerald R Ford International in Grand Rapids
- Roben-Hood in Big Rapids
- Oceana County in Hart
- White Cloud airport in White Cloud
- Lakeview-Griffith Field in Lakeview
- Greenville Municipal in Greenville
- Paul C Miller-Sparta in Sparta
- Muskegon County in Muskegon
- Grand Haven Memorial Airpark in Grand Haven
- Ionia County in Ionia
- West Michigan Regional in Holland
- Padgham Field in Allegan
- Hastings Airport in Hastings
- South Haven Area Regional Airport in South Haven
- Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Kalamazoo
- W K Kellogg in Battle Creek
- Brooks Field in Marshal
- Branch County Memorial in Cold Water
- Kirsch Municipal in Sturgis
- Dowagiac Municipal Airport in Dowagiac
- Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport in Niles
For an interactive map and a full list of the airports receiving funding, you can head to the FAA's website.