“Infrastructure is the lifeblood of rural America,” Berry said. “Improving our rural airports is a necessary step as the counties of Arkansas’ First Congressional District continue to be a place families and businesses want to stay and grow.”

The grants come from the Federal Aviation Administration and cover a variety of improvements:

Arkansas County

·        DeWitt Municipal Airport will receive $133,000 to improve runway lighting, install visual navigation aids to assist landings, and replace the beacon used to guide aircraft.

Baxter County

·        Baxter County Regional Airport will receive $1,178,742 to create an airport road out of one of the runway approaches, improve runway lighting, acquire lands in the runway approach area, install wind cones, relocate the T-Hangars, make grading improvements in the runway safety area and remove obstructions from the runway areas.

Searcy County

·        Searcy County Airport will receive $200,900 in install perimeter fencing to reduce wildlife access to the airfield.