Many of the state’s airports, including those in or near Southwest Mississippi, are getting a financial boost from the massive infrastructure bill passed through Congress earlier this year.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican, announced a payout of about $19.8 million to airports statewide on Thursday.
“Mississippi has been in need of serious investment in our state’s infra-structure,” Wicker said. “I was an early supporter of the bipartisan infrastructure package which is making important investments in our nation’s hard infrastructure.
“These funds for Mississippi airports are some of the first fruits of that legislation. Targeted investments will help airports all across our state make repairs and improvements that will support travelers and boost our economy for decades to come.”
The state’s other senator, Cindy Hyde-Smith, also a Republican, did not vote for the bill.
The McComb-Pike County Airport and the Paul Pittman Memorial Airport in Tylertown will each receive $110,000 of the payout to the state. That amount is the lowest provided in the state, and is being given to 29 of the state’s airports.
McComb-Pike County Airport board President Bob Hensarling said he couldn’t comment on the possible uses of the money yet.
“That would be a board decision,” he said. “We have a lot of projects waiting for funding, and that money could do a lot of good for some of those projects.”
The rules on the funding may not allow it to be used for certain projects.
Hensarling noted that the airport still has some expenses from repairing storm damage for which the funding could qualify, and that that there are some mandated projects from the Federal Aviation Administration with which the infrastructure funding may be able to help.
The Natchez-Adams County Airport is one of 10 airports receiving $295,000.
The Brookhaven-Lincoln County Airport will receive $159,000, as will the Columbia-Marion County Airport and the Copiah County Airport in Crystal Springs.
The largest allocations are going to the airports which boast commercial air passenger service, with Jackson’s Evers International in line for almost $3.8 million.
Gulfport-Biloxi International will get almost $3 million. Golden Triangle Regional, Key Field/Meridian Regional Airport, Tupelo Regional Airport and Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport will each receive a little over $1 million.
