Arkansas airports receive $4.9 million in federal stimulus money

Written by Jeff Della Rosa
Published by Talk Business Politics

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded more than $4.9 million in federal stimulus grants to Arkansas airports, including $4.77 million to Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock. U.S. Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro; French Hill, R-Little Rock; and Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, announced Friday (March 12) the money will be used to offset the costs and maintain jobs as a result of COVID-19 and provide for increased sanitization to combat the spread of pathogens at the airports.

The DOT, through the Federal Aviation Administration, is distributing the money appropriated through the Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, which Congress approved in December. The entire Arkansas Congressional Delegation supported it.

“Air travel has been drastically impacted by the pandemic,” the members said. “Supporting the airline and aviation-related industries with these federal funds is important to our economic recovery. We are pleased Arkansas communities’ opportunities for commerce will continue with the help of these DOT awards.”

The news release noted the LIT grant includes an additional CRRSA concessions grant to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking and in-terminal concessions.

Following are the grant recipients and the amounts:

• Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field, $4,770,746
• Jonesboro Municipal in Craighead County, $57,000
• Memorial Field Airport in Garland County, $23,000
• Searcy Municipal Airport in White County, $23,000
• Arkansas International Airport in Mississippi County, $13,000
• Monticello Municipal/Ellis Field Airport in Drew County, $13,000
• Newport Regional Airport in Jackson County, $13,000
• Ozark-Franklin County Airport in Franklin County, $9,000

On Feb. 26, the DOT awarded more than $4.5 million to Arkansas airports, including $4.38 million to Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill. On Dec. 27, former President Donald Trump signed the CRRSA. The deadline to apply for the program’s grants is June 30, 2021.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING
On Monday (March 15), federal legislators announced the DOT awarded more than $1.4 million in stimulus money to airports, including $1.26 million to Fort Smith Regional Airport. The Fort Smith airport received an additional CRRSA concessions grant to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking and in-terminal concessions.

Following are the grant recipients and the amounts:

• Fort Smith Regional Airport, $1,267,320
• Springdale Municipal Airport in Washington County, $57,162
• Conway Regional Airport in Faulkner County, $23,000
• Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport in Polk County, $13,000
• Dexter B Florence Memorial Field in Clark County, $13,000
• Carroll County Airport in Carroll County, $13,000
• Almyra Municipal Airport in Arkansas County, $9,000
• Z M Jack Stell Field Airport in Ashley County, $9,000
• J Lynn Helms Sevier County Airport in Sevier County, $9,000
• Lake Village Municipal Airport in Chicot County, $9,000

On Friday (March 26), federal legislators announced the DOT awarded more than $1.4 million in federal grants to airports and airfields in Arkansas, including $1.02 million to Texarkana Regional-Webb Field in Miller County. The funding for Texarkana Regional includes an additional CRRSA concessions grant to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking and in-terminal concessions.

Following are the grant recipients and the amounts:

• Texarkana Regional, $1,020,766
• Drake Field in Washington County, $57,162
• West Memphis Municipal in Crittenden County, $23,000
• Saline County Regional in Saline County, $23,000
• South Arkansas Regional at Goodwin Field in Union County, $23,000
• North Little Rock Municipal in Pulaski County, $23,000
• Batesville Regional in Independence County, $23,000
• Bentonville Municipal/Louise M. Thaden Field in Benton County, $23,000
• Baxter County Airport in Baxter County, $23,000
• Smith Field in Benton County, $13,000
• Morrilton Municipal in Conway County, $13,000
• Hope Municipal in Hempstead County, $13,000
• Russellville Regional in Pope County, $13,000
• Sheridan Municipal in Grant County, $13,000
• Pocahontas Municipal in Randolph County, $13,000
• Melbourne Municipal – John E Miller Field in Izard County, $13,000
• Clinton Municipal in Van Buren County, $13,000
• Pine Bluff Regional/Grider Field in Jefferson County, $13,000
• Corning Municipal in Clay County, $13,000
• Bearce Airport in Montgomery County, $9,000
• McGehee Municipal in Desha County, $9,000
• Harrell Field in Ouachita County, $9,000
• Ralph C Weiser Field in Columbia County, $9,000
• Clarksville Municipal in Johnson County, $9,000