Lake County airports awarded $37k in funding

The St. Ignatius Airport will get $30,000 in Montana Department of Transportation air travel gas-tax funding according to Lori Ryan, Public Information Officer for the MDT Aeronautics Board.

Polson Airport will receive just over $7,600. Ronan will receive none, Ryan said.

The funding announced Jan. 21 is for public-use airports and is awarded mainly through grants and loans that match Federal Aviation Administration money for large airport construction projects, Ryan said.

Funds are set aside for a variety of projects that include installation of weather observation equipment and runway reconstruction projects.

St. Ignatius and Polson airports earmarked the money for runway rehabilitation.

Any public airport is eligible to apply for assistance through the loan and grant program, Ryan said.

Applications are due during November of the previous year.

Although the money is awarded in January, the funds are not available until the beginning of the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. 

The money is awarded after the MDT Aeronautics Board considers all applications at its January meeting, where it takes public input.

Other airports receiving money include Plains, Bridger, Broadus, Canyon Ferry, Chinook, Dillon, Ennis, Glasgow, Hardin, Laurel, Malta, Roundup, Shelby, Stevensville, Thompson Falls and West Yellowstone.

Airports that did not receive awards include Ronan, Deer Lodge and Havre.