The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) Aeronautics Board has awarded the Kalispell City Airport a $236,712 grant along with a $21,250 loan for improvements.
Funds will be used for fencing to allow improved access control, while new lighting will replace the old, outdated system, said Wade Cebulski of the MDT Aeronautics division.
Hamilton was awarded the highest grant with $482,000 and an $18,000 loan.
The MDT Aeronautics Board approved more than $3.6 million to fund improvement projects for 35 public-use airports. Projects include lighting and runway enhancements, land easements and snow-removal equipment.
A fuel tax of $.045 per gallon on commercial and general aviation aircraft in Montana helped fund the projects.
The grant and loan money leverages the 90-to-10 federal match dollars for large airport construction projects, and more than $4.8 million in local match money was requested.
All public airports are eligible to apply for the loan and grant program. Applications for funding are due Nov. 15 each year to the MDT’s Aeronautics Division, and funds are typically awarded the following January. Funds are available the following fiscal year on July 1.
For more information, contact Wade Cebulski, MDT Aeronautics Division at [email protected] or call (406) 444-9581.