Hawaii airports will receive more than $144 million in new federal funding from the American Rescue Plan.
The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March and will provide funding to help airports that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Star Advertiser reported.
"Hawaii airport workers and the entire airline industry have taken a significant hit during the pandemic, but $144 million in federal relief from the American Rescue Plan is on the way," Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) wrote in a June 24 Facebook post. "This new federal funding will support salaries for workers and give our airports the resources needed to recover."
The relief funding can be used to cover operating costs, as well as support airport salaries, Schatz said, according to KHON2.
A breakdown of the relief package shows that $74.4 million has been allocated for Oahu’s airports, $29.2 million for Maui airports, $24 million for Hawaii Island airports, $14.5 million for Kauai airports and $1.3 million each for Molokai and Lanai airports.
The Federal Department of Transportation recently awarded more than $10 million in funding for four Hawaiian airports to improve safety, KHON2 reported in 2019. Funding is being used to renovate taxiways, purchase emergency vehicles, improve lighting and for overall airport planning.