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CPA awarded $5.8M in seven FAA grants
Sablan
A total of $5.8 million comprising separate grants were awarded to the Commonwealth Ports Authority yesterday as part of funding the U.S. Congress provided in Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020.
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) said the grants are directed at the extraordinary costs to Marianas airports as a result of the coronavirus and to help CPA meet other financial obligations made difficult by revenue loss as the pandemic has stretched on.
“Because we are unconnected by road or rail to the rest of the world, our airports are especially important to the economy and daily life of the Marianas,” Sablan said. “Congress has provided these relief funds to the [CPA] to deal with the current economic crisis and I look forward to more investments in airports and all our transportation infrastructure as Congress begins work on the President’s plan to Build Back Better.”
Four grants awarded yesterday for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and combating the spread of pathogens are:
• $3,663,838 for the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport;
• $9,000 for the Pagan airstrip;
• $1,014,015 for the Tinian Airport;
• $1,003,863 for the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona Airport on Rota.
Three other grants were awarded to provide economic relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking, and in-terminal concessions located at Marianas airports. They are:
• $8,836 for the Tinian Airport,
• $2,436 for the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona Airport on Rota,
• $121,975 for Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport.
The funds are disbursed by the Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. (PR)
