11 US airports receive FAA environmental grants

Eleven airports recently received grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to improve their air quality by decreasing emissions.

"These programs are crucial to our efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions and make our skies and roads more environmentally friendly,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to working with airports and communities across the nation to improve air quality and protect the health of future generations of Americans.”

The funds, which amount to $24.5 million, are part of the Voluntary Airport Low Emission (VALE) as well as the Zero Emissions Airport Vehicle (ZEV) programs of the FAA. The FAA founded the VALE program in 2005 and the ZEV program in 2012.

“The FAA continues to award grants for projects with short-term and long-term emissions reductions benefits on or near airports,” FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said. “These airports must be responsible environmental stewards and good neighbors to their surrounding communities.”

Airports throughout the U.S. accepted the funding were Memphis International ($1.3 million), Chicago O’Hare International ($2 million), Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshal ($2.5 million), Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International ($2.6 million), Phoenix Sky Harbor International ($1 million), Port Columbus (Ohio) International ($2.7 million), Houston's William P. Hobby ($1.6 million), Indianapolis International ($3.9 million), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International ($962,789), Cleveland Hopkins International ($1.1 million), and Lambert-St. Louis International ($28,299).