Inhofe Praises EDA, FAA Grants to the City of Bristow

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today praised the City of Bristow for being awarded an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant of $1 million in August and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant of $3.4 million on September 20 for the construction of a new runway at Bristow Airport.

"I applaud the City of Bristow for being awarded these federal grants that will be complemented with state and local funds to address an aging and deficient runway at the Bristow Airport, and I appreciate EDA and FAA for recognizing the benefits that a new runway will have on the city and the surrounding region," Inhofe said. "These grants were also possible due to the hard work of INCOG, ODOT Sec. Gary Ridley, and the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission who aided with navigating the bureaucratic hurdles for qualification. The current runway at Jones Memorial Airport was built in 1968 and is well beyond its useful life-cycle, failing to meet a number of FAA Safety standards. The funding will allow for a revamped runway that in turn will expand opportunity for businesses in the region and enhance overall safety for all airport users. The foundation for long-term, sustainable economic growth begins with strong local infrastructure, and I fully expect this new runway will support and attract new opportunities for the City of Bristow."

These grants will be used to fund construction of a new runway parallel to the existing runway at Bristow Airport necessary to expand landing and takeoff capability. The new, expanded runway will eliminate current safety and Federal Aviation Administration compliance insufficiencies, and enhance the marketability of the region and its assets by enabling existing companies to expand while attracting new development.

On April 8, Inhofe wrote a letter in support of the City of Bristow's application for the EDA grant. In the letter, Inhofe stated: "Demonstrable State and local support for EDA grant applications greatly extends the reach of existing federal resources. Partnerships like this serve as a model for how efficient government can build high quality public infrastructure… I fully support the City of Bristol in its endeavor to reconstruct this important transportation facility with assistance from the EDA."

Inhofe also worked to include language in the Senate Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017 to direct FAA to prioritize grant funding for airports that need to replace runways that are no longer in compliance with safety standards. The bill passed the Senate on May 19.

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