WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton—along with Congressmen Rick Crawford and Steve Womack—announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded over $4.5 million in federal grants to airports and airfields in Arkansas to off-set costs and maintain jobs as a result of COVID-19 as well as provide for increased sanitization to combat the spread of pathogens at these facilities.
The DOT, through the Federal Aviation Administration, is distributing the funds appropriated through the Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, which passed with the support of the entire Arkansas Congressional Delegation in December 2020.
“The air travel industry has experienced dramatic disruption and losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Relief measures aimed at blunting the impact of the economic damage were necessary and we are pleased to see those funds being delivered in support of airports and airfields in Arkansas. National and regional airports connect our communities to commerce and economic activity, so it is important to provide them assistance so they continue to remain viable,” members said.
The following awardees are recipients of CRRSA funding:
Northwest Arkansas National
$4,382,255 to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority
Including a special CRRSA concession to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking and in-terminal concessions located at primary airports.
Rogers Executive Airport – Carter Field
$91,162 to the City of Rogers
De Witt Municipal Airport/Whitcomb Field (Arkansas County)
$13,000 to the City of De Witt
Thompson-Robbins Airport (Phillips County)
$9,000 to the City of Helena-West Helena
Delta Regional Airport (St. Francis County)
$13,000 to the Delta Regional Airport Authority
Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (Lawrence County)
$13,000 to the City of Walnut Ridge
CRRSA was signed into law by former President Donald Trump on December 27, 2020. The deadline to apply for the program’s grants is June 30, 2021.