Northwest Arkansas National Airport is the recipient of a $4.7 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration that reimburses the airport for the expansion of its passenger security checkpoint.
The money was a portion of grants totaling nearly $9.8 million that the Federal Aviation Administration recently awarded to 11 Arkansas airports.
Nationwide, nearly $800 million in FAA grants were awarded to airports in 46 states, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Marshall Islands, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.
"These 383 grants will allow airport sponsors to either begin or complete construction projects that will maintain the safety and efficiency of our national airport system," said FAA Administrator Stephen M. Dickson.
The Airport Improvement Program grants are funded by the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The fund derives revenue from taxes and fees levied on airplane operations, including taxes on airplane tickets, as well as fuel used by general aviation aircraft.
The grants typically pay for 90% of the projects' cost. But provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act set aside $500 million to cover the remaining 10%.
The Northwest Arkansas National project added a fourth screening lane, lengthened all four screening lanes to allow additional tables on both sides of the screening equipment and thus improve the efficiency of the screening process. The project also included replacing the airport's original tower.
The additional screening lane opened last year, airport spokeswoman Alex English said.
Texarkana Regional Airport was the recipient of a $3.1 million grant to go toward construction of a new taxiway.
Other Arkansas airports receiving grants, the grant amounts and the grant projects were:
• Horseshoe Bend Airport, $512,000 to expand apron.
• South Arkansas Regional Airport in El Dorado, $404,763 to acquire land for approaches.
• Magnolia Municipal Airport, $200,000 to rehabilitate runway.
• Piggott Municipal Airport, $175,000 to improve runway safety area.
• Newport Municipal Airport, $175,000 to install runway vertical visual guidance system.
• Stuttgart Municipal Airport, $166,666 to rehabilitate apron.
• Heber Springs Municipal Airport, $155,000 to seal taxiway surface and joints.
• Lake Village Municipal Airport, $119,672 to rehabilitate apron.