News Releases
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – today announced a $7,178,799 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for critical infrastructure improvements at the Newton City-County Airport.
“This grant from the FAA to the Newton City-County Airport will allow for much-needed infrastructure improvements, enabling the airport to support the area’s aviation needs for years to come,” said Sen. Moran. “Local airports are vital to the regional economies across Kansas, and I’m pleased to see this award go to Newton and Harvey County, allowing for continued development in the area.”
“This grant is great news for our airport,” said City of Newton City Manager Bob Myers. “This is a project we have needed for some time now, and we greatly appreciate our partners at the federal level for securing this valuable funding assistance.”
“The benefit to the community is the airfield has over 400 employees in 21 different businesses,” said Chairman of the Harvey County Commission George “Chip” Westfall. “It supplies employment for local counties, which impacts our economy, period. We have several aircraft mechanical companies out there that bring in maintenance work not just for Newton, but for all over the region, which boosts our economy.”
The $7.2 million grant will be used to reconstruct the taxiway that runs adjacent to the primary runway, allowing for the continued and expanded use of the runway by larger, heavier aircraft. According to the Kansas Department of Commerce, the airport generates $157 million in economic impact to the local economy each year. More information on this and other AIP grants can be found here.
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