A few ways the Somerset County Airport may spend its money from the infrastructure bill
The Somerset County Airport is to receive an additional $159,000 in federal funding next year from the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Airport Manager Dave Wright said he's waiting for confirmation on how those funds can be spent before making any plans.
“We’re not really sure how those funds are being distributed yet,” he said. “There are several types of funding we get, so it depends on what we can do with it. We’ll figure it out once we know.”
The local share is part of more than $70 million being allocated in fiscal year 2022 to 62 airports in Pennsylvania as Airport Infrastructure Grants, according to a Dec. 16 press release from U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s office.
Broadband funding: Somerset County Commissioners: Funding is available for broadband internet upgrades
Bridge projects: How will funding from the federal infrastructure bill affect transportation projects in Somerset County?
County funding: American Rescue Act brings an unprecedented $14M to Somerset. Here's how it's being spent.
Somerset County Airport terminal upgrades
Wright singled out at least one potential use for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds. He said the airport’s terminal could benefit from some improvements to modernize the facility.
“If it comes the right way, there’s plenty of things we can do with it, and we can definitely use it,” he said. “The amount of money is great for doing work on the terminal building. There’s plenty of asphalt repair that needs done, but ($159,000) is not much money for that.”
But if the money is distributed as non-primary entitlement funds, then the airport would have to use the money for a specific project.
“That’s helpful, don’t get me wrong,” Wright said, “but then it has to be used for a project.
“We’re crossing our fingers that we can use the money as we want — then it would be used to repair and modernize the terminal.”
Wright said they expect to receive that confirmation from the federal government after Jan. 1.
The Somerset County Airport serves, on average, between 10 and 20 flights per day during the year, Wright said. As a general aviation use airport, it offers a place for planes to come in and refuel during a flight or for corporate aircraft to land while conducting business in the area. There is no air traffic control unit or tower on site and passenger airline service is not provided.
“An airport like ours is open to all types of flights except regularly scheduled airline service,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County Airport gets $159K from infrastructure bill
