Peace Garden News

The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) Program provide annual formula-based funds to nearly 3,300 public-use airports across the United States. These funds are typically awarded in late June or July, which makes it difficult for airports to complete construction projects during the summer season. This timing often results in delays, project cancellations, and higher costs, especially for small and rural airports.

U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Gary Peters (D-MI) have sent a bipartisan letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford. The letter asks the FAA to expedite the disbursement of AIP and AIG entitlement funds so that airports can deliver projects more efficiently.

“Despite their guaranteed nature, AIP and AIG entitlement funds are often not available to airports until late June or July,” the senators wrote. “For small airports with limited resources and in states with truncated construction seasons due to severe weather, this delay poses significant challenges. It results in project cancellations, increased costs, and makes each federal dollar less effective. Further, for states that participate in the FAA’s Block Grant program, agency actions to limit which AIP funds are provided via block grant challenge the usefulness of the program and increase administrative burden.

“We urge the FAA to take steps to disburse entitlement funds earlier in the fiscal year and to work with block grant states to maximize the utility of the program moving forward,” they continued. “We look forward to your response on this important matter.”

The letter is supported by organizations such as the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, National Association of State Aviation Officials, American Association of Airport Executives, and Transportation Construction Coalition.

Several other U.S. Senators cosigned the letter: John Barrasso (R-WY), John Boozman (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jim Justice (R-WV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the letter is available online.