Aug. 5—BLUEFIELD — Funding from the American Rescue Plan is being allocated to the Mercer County Airport.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D- W.Va., said Wednesday that the Bluefield-based airport will receive $59,000 in federal stimulus funds. The money is to be used to improve safety at the airport during the pandemic.

In all, the federal government is allocating $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds to 10 airports across the Mountain State.

Manchin, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the funding is being distributed through the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide economic relief and increase safety precautions at airports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The American Rescue Plan continues to provide critical relief to the Mountain State," Manchin said. "This American Rescue Plan funding will help West Virginia's regional airports keep passengers and staff safe as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Our regional airports are vital to West Virginia's economy and serve as a gateway while also supporting the manufacturing industry in the Mountain State. As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, I will continue to fight for funding that supports our regional airports while supporting economic development across the state."

The Mercer County Airport is a general aviation facility. It is located near Bluefield.

Federal funds were awarded earlier this year to assist with the installation of a new beacon tower at the airport and an extension of the airport ramp that will give visiting aircraft better access to the facility's fuel farm.

In an unrelated development Wednesday, Manchin and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R- W.Va., also announced a $105,541 federal funding award to the Mercer County Technical Education Center in Princeton.

The funding from the U.S Department of Education is being allocated through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and will be used to prevent, prepare and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manchin and Capito said.

— Contact Charles Owens at [email protected]

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