Rep. Huffman announces $9.2 million Department of Transportation grant for Del Norte Airport Runway Safety Area construction

September 15, 2014

WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) announced today that the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority has received a $9.2 million grant for construction of  enhanced runway safety areas (RSA) required for all commercial airports. The U.S Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant comes after years of work by the authority, Del Norte County, the state and federal governments and the community to meet the congressional mandate while mitigating impacts to wetlands on the airport.

“This project is necessary for Del Norte Airport to maintain its commercial status and to ensure the safety of the thousands of passengers who fly in and out of the airport each year,” Rep. Huffman said. “The receipt of the FAA grant marks the end of difficult negotiations to compensate for impacted wetlands and the beginning of certainty for commercial business at Del Norte County Regional Airport.”

RSA enhancement for the nation’s commercial airports was mandated by Congress to be completed by 2015. To meet state and federal wetland mitigation requirements, the airport is required to buy and enhance existing wetlands and create further wetlands at the never-completed Pacific Shores Subdivision by Lake Earl and at the nearby Bay Meadows property. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed off on the authority’s permit today; the California Coastal Commission permit was issued in September 2014.  Both permits come with special conditions that the authority and its consultants are working to meet.

Speaking for the authority board, Chairman David Finigan stated, "The environmental process has been arduous and we are pleased to be moving out of the permitting stage and into construction."

Members of BCRAA include Del Norte County, Curry County, City of Crescent City, City of Brookings, Elk Valley Rancheria and Smith River Rancheria.

“I appreciate the hard work of the local airport authority, the county, state and federal agencies and the broader community, which all played important roles in making this project happen in a way that meets FAA standards and protects Del Norte’s beautiful wetlands,” Huffman said. 

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