Washington airport receives federal grant

WASHINGTON — The Washington Municipal Airport is set to receive over $129,000 in federal dollars, granted by a recently passed infrastructure bill. The facility is one of five in the state getting a cut of the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill, and one of 85 in the nation, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“The work that goes in to build safer, more accessible and sustainable terminals will provide opportunities for people across the nation,” FAA Deputy Administrator A. Bradley Mims said in the news release. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a critical investment not only in our nation’s infrastructure, but an investment in the future of our country’s workforce.”

Washington Municipal Airport Commission Chair Joe Harvey said the boost was appreciated.

“We’re constantly trying to make improvements at the airport,” he said. “I think we have a very important asset to the community, and so we are always looking for ways.”

The federal grant is marked for the installation of solar panels on hangars. Harvey said the project would improve energy use at the facility

“One of the goals was to increase energy efficiency,” he said. “So, the airport applied for a grant in March to add solar panels … to increase the efficiency of both the terminal building and to add efficiency to our runway lighting system as well.”

The project pairs with an initiative to install LED runway lighting that the airport continues to build toward.

“All the edge lighting, the approach lighting to the airport draws some energy,” Harvey said. “(LEDs) tie into reducing our overall energy footprint, and adding the solar is just one small step to do that.”

The project totals around $135,000, leaving the remaining expense to the airport’s budget. Harvey said covering that wouldn’t be too much of a problem.

”The airport is really a self sufficient entity, our income comes from fuel sales and hangar leases as well as some farm ground land rent around the airport,“ he said. ”When we’re matching these airport grants, that money’s coming directly from the airport operation, so it’s not pulling money from the city to pay for these grants and awards“

Harvey said it wasn’t clear how long construction would take, but the airport hopes to get things underway this fall.

“We are just initiating the bidding process now, so we’re waiting for feedback,” he said. “There’s supply chain issues all over the industries, so I don’t know what it’s going to be, but we’re planning to start that right away, as soon as this fall.”

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