U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on April 15 announced more than $65 million in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for eastern Washington State airports impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding is made possible by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the federal government’s third pandemic emergency relief fund supported by Rep. McMorris Rodgers.
The CARES Act includes $10 billion in funds to be awarded as economic relief to eligible U.S. airports affected by the prevention of, preparation for, and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FAA, which noted that the funds increase the federal share to 100 percent for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and supplemental discretionary grants already planned for fiscal year 2020.
“Under normal circumstances, AIP grant recipients contribute a matching percentage of the project costs,” the FAA says. “Providing this additional funding and eliminating the local share will allow critical safety and capacity projects to continue as planned regardless of airport sponsors’ current financial circumstances.”
Additionally, the CARES Act provides new funds distributed by various formulas for all airports that are part of the national airport system, including all commercial service airports, all reliever airports and some public-owned general aviation airports, according to the FAA.
In Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ home state, several eastern Washington airports received CARES Act funding. They are Spokane International Airport ($29.6 million); Walla Walla Regional Airport ($18.1 million); Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport ($18.1 million); Felts Field, Spokane ($69,000); Deer Park Airport ($30,000); Colville Municipal ($30,000); Wilbur Airport ($30,000); Port of Whitman Business Air Center ($20,000); Davenport Airport ($20,000); Ione Municipal Airport ($20,000); Odessa Municipal Airport ($20,000); and Rosalia Municipal Airport ($1,000).