Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has authorized distribution of $19.7 million in state aviation fuel tax revenues through grants to 47 Colorado public use airports under the Aviation Discretionary Grant Program administered by the Division of Aeronautics of the Colorado Department of Transportation, according to a press release.
The grants ranged in size from $8,333 to $3 million. They represent State of Colorado participation in a wide variety of projects, totaling $68.3 million, to improve safety and infrastructure at airports across the state. Airport projects include matching funds — local, federal, or both — in order to receive Colorado discretionary aviation grants.
Craig/Moffat Airport received $8,333 for airfield and signage improvements.
“I am pleased to approve these grants and to see that we are continuing statewide efforts to upgrade our airports,” Hickenlooper said in the release. “The economic multipliers provided by our airports through the moving of people, goods and services are tremendous. CDOT’s vision is to help develop and maintain an efficient transportation system, and this grant program certainly helps put that vision into practice. This is an excellent partnership.”
A 2013 Economic Impact Study of Colorado Airports showed that the airports support 265,700 jobs statewide and create a total economic output of $37.6 billion annually.
The economic impact was significant in Northwest Colorado, with the Craig/Moffat Airport logging about $1.1 million in output in 2013, according to the study.
The statutorily-based grant program, which began in 1992, requires that all aviation fuel tax collections in Colorado must be returned to the aviation system through airport grants and other aviation projects of state interest.
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