WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-LA) announced airports in 12 parishes will receive $25,190,364 in federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for drainage system improvements, taxiway construction, pavement rehabilitation and more. Airports in Allen, Avoyelles, Calcasieu, Catahoula, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Orleans, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Richland and Terrebonne parishes will benefit directly from these grants.
“Having a good airport is critical to draw businesses, investors or even a families to move to your community,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These projects are great. They will rebuild and improve airports across Louisiana and make our state more competitive. It’s a win-win.”
The Allen Parish Police Jury, which owns the parish airport in Oakdale, will receive $69,000, according to Cassidy. This project is to construct 17,900 feet of the perimeter fencing to deter access by unauthorized persons and vehicles onto the airfield.
Joel Johnson, airport manager and road superintendent for the police jury, said, “It’s still in its planning stages.”
The project will probably take two years to complete. Besides the survey, the plan calls for hiring an engineer, laying out and designing the project and Wetland Delineation before the project can even begin.
Most of the money for this project will be used for a process known as Wetland Delineation which is mandated by federal law. (It’s a process that requires an adequate knowledge of the hydrologic, soil and plant characteristics of wetlands to determine which parts of the landscape are wetlands and how to define their boundaries. It’s very important to locate the boundaries of a wetland within a plot of land that can eliminate the destruction of wetland habitat.)
Johnson explained once the survey identifies the wetlands, the Corp of Engineers decides how many acres will be impacted. Then the parish will have to pay a fee known as credits to a land bank for the use of these wetlands. In turn the money is used to maintain another acre of wetlands in the parish or even the state. He said sometimes the requirements are fees for two, three or even four credits per acre to be paid for the utilization of one acre of wetland in another location. This can cost approximately $20,000 per acre of land which is required to replace the use of one acre of wetland. He said he was not sure how many acres would be impacted in Allen Parish for this project at the airport. That is what the survey will identify once it is completed.
Money for these types of grants comes from a trust fund, which is funded through the sale of aircraft fuel, Johnson explained. “Ten percent of the funds will come from the state, and that portion is also derived from the sale of aircraft fuel.” He explained portions of aircraft fuel sales do support improvements, etc. of airports and are awarded through the FAA.
The Oakdale airport is located approximately four miles south of Oakdale, and is the only airport in the parish.
Other grant monies will be given to:
•Avoyelles Parish Airport Authority, $416,666, for the Marksville Municipal Airport. This project reconstructs 13,500 square yards of the existing terminal apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life.
•City of Monroe, $8,888,888, for the Monroe Regional Airport. This project improves 8,000 feet of the airport’s existing drainage system to eliminate ponding on airfield surfaces to meet Federal Aviation Administration design standards.
•City of Rayville, $247,825, will reconstruct 3,998 feet of Runway 18/36 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris. This grant funds the second phase which consists of design.
•City of DeQuincy, $170,000, to conduct a drainage study to assess current state of airfield drainage. DeQuincy Industrial Airpark Airport is a general aviation airport, designated as basic, as defined in the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) report.
•Non-Flood Protection Asset Management Authority, $1,030,555, for the Lakefront Airport in New Orleans. This project removes Runway 9/27 from the airport’s airfield as a component of geometric improvements to the airfield.
•England Economic and Industrial Development District, $3,333,333, to acquire 22 homes adversely impacted by aircraft noise in accordance with approved measures in the airport’s noise compatibility plan. This project includes the relocation of approximately 50 residents.
•City of New Roads and Pointe Coupee Parish, $1,223,000 to rehabilitate the southern 2,100 feet of Runway 18/36 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
•City of New Orleans and New Orleans Aviation Board, $3,621,961, to update the airport master plan’s narrative report and airport layout plan to address key issues, objectives and goals pertinent to the airport’s future development.
•Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, $4,286,525 to construct a 4,800 foot service road to enable the safe movement of vehicles and ground service equipment.
•Airport Authority District No. 1 Calcasiu Parish, $1,111,111, to construct a new terminal departure and arrival area canopies to provide shelter for passengers. The grant funds the second phase which consists of construction of the departure canopy.
•Rapides Parish Police Jury, $261,500, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase the federal share to 100 percent. This project conducts a drainage study to assess the flooding, drainage and ponding issues throughout the airfield.
•City of Hammond, $120,000, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase the federal share to 100 percent. This project improves 104 feet of drainage system controls on Taxiway C to meet Federal Aviation Administration design standards.
•Houma-Terrebonne Airport Commission, $410,000, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase the federal share to 100 percent. This project rehabilitates 1,200 square yards of the existing west apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
