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Additional funding for Rota airport eyed
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Posted on Oct 23 2000
House Vice Speaker Alejo Mendiola on Friday announced additional federal funding may yet be allocated for improvements of the Rota International Airport under the Transportation Appropriations Bill which is up for enactment in the American capital.
Rota is expected to receive an additional $1.25 million under the federal legislation, said Mr. Mendiola in a media statement. “The money is in addition to the $11 million in Covenant construction funds we receive every year from the Congress.”
The vice speaker said the new funding will maximize the benefit derived by the CNMI government from its limited public works budget. “It also will not diminish the amount of money available to the CNMI for other airport work from the Aviation Trust Fund.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s appropriations conference report disclosed that $1.25 million will be given to the Federal Aviation Administration which will allocate the money for rehabilitation work at Rota’s air transport facility.
The bill has passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and has been seen to President Clinton for signature and implementation.
“Thanks to Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and our friends in Congress, we can remove the barrier to the resumption of flights, and allow Rota to take a major step forward in the expansion of our airport facilities,” said Mr. Mendiola.
The project, which has been previously stalled due to lack of funding, was aimed at improving the skid resistance of the Rota International Airport runway.
Current efforts are focused at improving the skid resistance of the island’s air transport facility runway in order to make it less slippery especially during the rainy season.
The need for rehabilitation of the Rota airport’s runway was first raised when Continental Micronesia permanently suspended Boeing 727 turbojet service to the island, citing reasons of lower braking effectiveness. (ARF)
