WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood joined the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation in announcing grants totaling $6.2 million in federal funds for safety improvements at two airports in Rhode Island.  Quonset State Airport in North Kingstown will receive $3.5 million and Newport State Airport $2.7 will receive million under the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). 

“This money will put people to work in Rhode Island while providing important investments in the safety of the state’s airports,” said Secretary LaHood.

“These projects are shovel ready and will put an estimated 150 Rhode Islanders to work upgrading runways and lighting to make these airports safer and more efficient,” said Senator Jack Reed.

“These funds will bring jobs to the state and invest in our continued economic growth,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

“As the economy of Aquidneck Island continues to broaden, Newport State Airport becomes even more important.  By rehabbing this runway, we’ll create jobs immediately and position Newport County for the future,” said Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.

“Supporting our smaller airports as part of the recovery plan is important to keep commerce flowing in the state and create new jobs," said Congressman Jim Langevin. “In particular, the Quonset runway improvements, will not only benefit private air traffic, but are also critical to support Rhode Island National Guard members traveling overseas.” 

 The funds for Quonset State Airport will be used to rehabilitate taxiway A, while the grant to Newport State Airport will provide funding for the rehabilitation of runway 16-34.

About 3,400 airports designated as part of the national airport system are eligible to receive ARRA funds. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving swiftly to work with airport sponsors to ensure eligible projects have completed or nearly completed, design and planning requirements.

Under ARRA, $1.1 billion was authorized for qualified airports to be allocated by the FAA on a discretionary basis. That funding will be distributed based on a project priority system that addresses airport safety and security, infrastructure, runway safety, increased capacity, and mitigation of environmental impacts.

Secretary LaHood said the Obama Administration is committed to getting ARRA funds into the economy as quickly as possible.  He noted that President Obama signed ARRA into law on February 17, less than one month after taking the oath of office.  Less than two weeks later, on March 3, LaHood joined President Obama and Vice President Biden at an historic announcement at the U.S. Department of Transportation to mark the release of $26.6 billion to the states and localities for highways, roads and bridges.  The release of funds came eight days earlier than required by law.  On April 13, only six weeks later, President Obama announced funding for the 2,000th transportation project.

On March 5, Secretary LaHood joined Vice President Biden and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz to announce the availability of $8.4 billion for nationwide transit infrastructure investment.  On March 12, Secretary LaHood announced that Pittsburgh International and Allegheny County Airports had received the first funding allocations for airport infrastructure projects, and on March 13, Vice President Biden announced that DOT made $1.3 billion available to Amtrak for capital and security improvements. 

In early February, prior to the passage of ARRA, Secretary LaHood established a TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) team within the Department of Transportation to ensure that economic recovery funding is rapidly made available for transportation infrastructure projects and that project spending is carefully monitored and transparent.

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