Terminal upgrades coming for eight South Dakota airports
Sioux Falls airport one of eight selected by state's Aeronautics Commission for grant funding
A measure passed by the Legislature in 2024 has a handful of South Dakota airports in line to receive financial support from the state.
The South Dakota Aeronautic Commission has approved eight public airports for infrastructure funding marked specifically for improving terminals, awarding grants that range from $27,000 to more than $3 million.
The funds were authorized as part of Senate Bill 144, a lawmaker-approved measure that set aside $10 million for the South Dakota Airport Terminal Program (SDATP).
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“The SDATP funds will play pivotal role in strengthening the aviation infrastructure and enhancing economic development in our state,” South Dakota Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt said. “The SDATP will help our South Dakota airports meet growing demands and improve services for residents and visitors alike.”
Airports receiving grants were required to meet stringent criteria, including being part of government-commissioned airport improvement plan, used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to identify and prioritize critical airport development with assistance from government funding. Eligible airports were also required to have received some form of federal funding for at least a year before becoming eligible. Members of the Aeronautics Commission were also required to consider whether the communities requesting funding had also made their own investments into their airports.
The largest grant awarded went to Rapid City Regional Airport, in the midst of a $200 million revamp, while the Sioux Falls Regional Airport received $2.5 million to assist in its ongoing concourse work.
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The Watertown airport will use $900k to help relocate required FAA equipment as part of broader expansion plans.
Eligibility requirements coupled with high demand for the grants from airports across the state led to a number of applications being turned down, however. The Chamberlain airport and another in Spearfish were among those passed over for funding by the Aeronautics Commission.
AIRPORTS AWARDED GRANTS:
Aberdeen - $1,2000,000
Hot Springs - $27,000
Rapid City - $3,047,126
Sioux Falls - $2,561,801
Spearfish - $1,319,073
Sturgis - $210,000
Tea - $735,000
Watertown - $900,000
Information about airports that apply and received grants can be found here.
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