Utah airports to get $97 million federal economic relief funding

All of Utah’s general and commercial aviation airports are receiving grants from the federal government through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help with economic relief during the current coronavirus outbreak. A total of 35 Utah airports will share $97 million in grants from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program. The funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting in the sharp decline in international and domestic travel.

Salt Lake City International Airport will get the lion’s share of the money coming to Utah, with $82.4 million in funding, while all other facilities engaged in general and commercial aviation activities will receive lesser amounts. St. George Municipal Airport is getting $4.4 million, Provo City Airport will receive $1.4 million and Ogden-Hinkley, Cedar City Regional and Canyonland Field in Moab will receive $1.1 million each. The minimum amount going to a number of the state’s small airports will be $20,000.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao,announced the $10 billion in funding for the nation’s airports. The FAA is encouraging airport sponsors to spend the grant funds immediately to help minimize any adverse impacts from the current public health emergency.

“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” Chao said. 

The airport grants are part of the broader CARES Act passed by Congress in late March providing a total of $2 trillion in relief across all sectors of the economy, the most substantial relief package in U.S. history. President Trump has made it clear that aviation is a top priority for aid during the pandemic. As well as the $10 billion for airports, there was a previous announcement that $50 billion would go to U.S. Airlines.