U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-1st, has announced that the Porter County Municipal Airport will receive a $1,202,427 grant and that Jasper County Airport a $1,804,808 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

According to a statement released on Friday from Visclosky’s office, the funding will improve operational efficiency and increase safety at the airports to help fuel the local economies.

“Airports are important economic engines for communities in Northwest Indiana,” Visclosky said. “By leveraging these funds to make improvements that will increase efficiency and raise safety, we will help the Porter and Jasper county airports create yet more economic activity in their respective communities.”

Porter County Municipal Airport will use its funding to rehabilitate a portion of the terminal apron, which is 25 years old. The rehabilitation will extend its useful life, the statement said. Jasper County Airport will use its funding to rehabilitate a runway, a parallel taxiway, the terminal apron, and as reimbursement for Phase II construction of a taxiway.

The funding was awarded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, which is intended to support improvements related to enhancing airport safety, capacity, security, and environmental concerns. To be eligible for a grant, an airport must be included in the National Plan for Integrated Airport Systems, which identifies public-use airports which are important to public transportation and contribute to the needs of civil aviation, national defense, and the postal service.

Posted 6/22/2009