The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that $17,362,302 in federal grants were awarded to seven Nebraska airports, in Ainsworth, Burwell, Norfolk, North Platte, Scottsbluff, Sidney and Wayne, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

This second round of FY 2023 grants included $12,132,000 to rehabilitate the runway at Scottsbluff's Western Nebraska Regional/William B. Heilig Field and $2.939,220 to reconstruct the taxiway at the North Platte Regional/Lee Bird Field.

AIP grants will provide a portion of funding to build new hangars at four airports: Ainsworth Regional — $553,980; Burwell Cram Field — $235,540; Sidney Municipal/Lloyd W. Carr Field — $451,562; and Wayne Municipal/Stan Morris Field — $450,000. The balance is being funded with other federal grants and local funds. Additional funding included $600,000 to the Norfolk Regional/Karl Stefan Memorial Field to install runway lighting, airfield guidance signs and runway vertical/visual guidance system.

"We're happy to be able to partner with the FAA central region in Kansas City to get this essential grant funding to our airports," said Ann Richart, director of the Aeronautics division of NDOT. "Our partnership includes lining up the appropriate grant funding, assisting the sponsor [airport] in applying for the grant, and working with the FAA to send grant funds to the airport as their project progresses. NDOT looks forward to working with the FAA in the future to ensure that our communities will be able to make maximum use of these federal grant funds."

AIP projects promote safety, efficiency, environmental stewardship, infrastructure and security at the nation's airports.