The Department of Transportation announced today (Oct. 26) it is looking ahead to snowy weather. For the current fiscal year, the DoT has allocated $57.6 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grants to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for “snowplows, de-icing equipment, and new or upgraded facilities to store this equipment.”
FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta Griffin, P.E., said, “This funding will help keep airports operating this winter and get passengers and cargo to their homes, families, vacations, and work safely.” According to the FAA, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $15 billion in airport infrastructure funding. A further $2.89 billion is available to U.S. airports for runways, taxiways, safety, sustainability projects, terminal, airport-transit connections and roadway projects.
Specifically, some $17.7 million will be used to purchase snow removal equipment, including $1,764,000 to Williston Basin International in North Dakota, $2,093,040 to Will Rogers World in Oklahoma and $1,316,990 to Bozeman Yellowstone International in Montana; and a total of $27.6 million to develop de-icing facilities at airports, including $608,752 to Helena Regional in Montana, $570,878 to Capital Region International in Michigan and $1,981,683 to Missoula, Montana. Further funding of $12.2 million will go toward constructing and renovating buildings that house and maintain snow removal equipment.
At first glance, this seems to be a considerably worthwhile investment for a change.