Promoting the importance of the nation’s aviation infrastructure, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta recently presented four airports in the Southeast with federal grants totaling approximately $130 million.

Distributed by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, the grant money will be applied to new construction projects, renovations and security upgrades.

Miami International Airport will be receiving $16.2 million. Of that, $11 million will be used for the construction of a new runway to help increase the the airport’s capacity and reduce flight delays. The remaining $5.2 million will fund new airport security upgrades.

North Carolina’s airports will receive a total of $37 million, with $21.8 million going toward statewide airport development.

The remaining $15.2 million will be applied to the expansion of Charlotte/Douglas International. The airport will be building a third, parallel runway at a price of $7.5 million, and $7.7 million will be used to construct Ramp E, a concourse specifically designed for the growing fleet of smaller, regional jets.

Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta will be receiving $43.9 million to update security and $1.9 million for new noise abatement programs.

In Orlando, FL, the international airport also received a federal grant of $30 million that will be used to modify the airport terminal for the installation of explosive detection system machines.

Secretary Mineta has also urged Congress, when it returns to Washington in September, to quickly pass pending legislation to authorize the nation’s air transportation system over the next four years. The $60 billion legislation will fund federal aviation initiatives in safety, security, environmental research and airport construction and expansion.

For more information visit www.dot.gov.