Newton Municipal Airport authorized to submit pre-application for federal funding

Newton Municipal Airport was authorized on Monday by the council to submit a pre-application to the federal Airport Improvement Program, which would pave the way for the facility to be considered for future grants towards a hangar pavement rehabilitation or an updated master plan, among other projects.

The city council voted 6-0 to pass a resolution authorizing the submission of the pre-application and certifying eligibility requirements. To be considered for future Airport Improvement Program grants from the Federal Aviation Administration, the city must submit a five-year improvement plan every year.

Additional funding is not required to submit the application, nor does it require the city to commit any funding or complete any of the listed projects. Other than the hangar pavement rehab and the updated master plan, the Newton Airport also included a storage hangar project and a hangar approach project.

Federal funding general pays for up to 90 to 95 percent of the cost for all airport projects after the project-specific applications are submitted and approved.

The three most recent projects utilizing city entitlement funds include: the southeast apron expansion, pavement rehabilitation and the taxiway relocation project.