Good Times at the Trough

The U.S. Federal Government is making ready to hand-out nearly one-BILLION-dollars in funding from former Vice President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The monies will be allocated to 85 U.S. airports for purposes as laudable as building new air-traffic control-towers and as questionable as creating Service Animal Relief Areas. 

Historically, the federal government—through the agency of the FAA—has invested in runways, control towers, and back-of-house infrastructure. Nowadays—thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—there is dedicated funding to support refillable water bottle stations, nursing rooms, assistive care restrooms, improvements to historically disadvantaged populations’ access to airports, and little grassy areas where service dogs can take a—

Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary, said of the program: “Americans deserve modern airports that meet the needs of their families and growing passenger demand. Funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, today’s grants will improve airport terminals while also creating good jobs in communities across the country,”

Seventy of the 85 grants will facilitate prudent undertakings such as expanding terminal capacity, replacing aging elevators and escalators, and acquiring new jetways and airport vehicles at airports such as: Pittsburgh International, which will receive $20-million; Chattanooga Metropolitan, which will receive $5-million; Huntsville Intl-Carl T. Jones Field, which will receive $10-million; and Orlando International, which will pocket a cool $50-million.

A larger part (76) of the grants will be applied to increasing the sustainability of terminals at airports such as: Dallas-Fort Worth International, which will be awarded $35-million to construct a zero-carbon central utility plant; Boise Airport, which is to receive $960,000 to install energy efficient boilers; and Seattle-Tacoma International, which will put its $10-million toward restroom modernization.

General Wayne A. Downing International Airport in Peoria, Illinois and Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina will receive $15-million apiece to build new air-traffic control towers. 

Fewer than one in every four dollars of Biden’s Infrastructure law will be applied to what most Americans consider infrastructure—e.g. building roads, bridges, airports, and filling potholes. Far more of the law’s monies are earmarked for green corporate welfare programs—such as wind and solar transmission lines and electric-vehicle charging stations.

The service dogs, at least, have reason to be happy; then again, they don’t pay taxes …

FMI: www.transportation.gov, www.faa.gov