Utah’s airports are getting another economic boost from federal COVID relief funds to offset losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced. Over $100 million in grants from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 are headed to 33 airports in the state. Nationwide the current round of airport grants totals nearly $8 billion.
The money, according to the FAA, will go toward keeping U.S. airport workers employed and ensure airport construction projects continue following the pandemic’s economic impact on the airline industry.
“The Airport Rescue Grants keep workers employed and help the aviation sector recover as more Americans get vaccinated and begin traveling again,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “These grants are part of the administration’s commitment to build back a better and safer transportation system throughout our country.”
The majority of Utah’s money will go toward Salt Lake City International Airport, which is slated to receive close to $91.7 million alone from the Airport Rescue Grants. FAA officials said about $80.7 million of that will go toward airport operations support while $11 million will go toward concessionaires at the airport. Of that $11 million for concessionaires, $8.8 million will go toward small companies, the report said.
The FAA said Provo Municipal Airport is set to receive close to $2 million, which is the most among the remaining other 32 Utah airports. St. George Regional Airport ($1.9 million), Cedar City Regional Airport ($1.1 million) and Canyonlands Field ($1.1 million) round out the top five. The majority of the Utah airports are slated to receive less than $100,000, including more than a dozen receiving a minimum of $22,000.
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