Four Corners Regional Airport may receive federal funding

March 27--FARMINGTON -- Four Corners Regional Airport could see significantly more federal funding.

Thanks to a 20 percent increase in passengers utilizing the facility, the Federal Aviation Administration likely will give the airport about $1 million a year.

"They are throwing a lot of money our way because we are a busy little airport," said Assistant City Manager Bob Campbell, who is acting airport manager until a new manager is found. "Once you continually hit that 10,000 mark, you get a million bucks from them."

According to Campbell, the extra money, along with matching funds from both the state and the city, already has a designated purpose.

"We are submitting a request for $1.5 million total," Campbell said. "Part of that is from the city, part from the state and part from the FAA."

The funds will be used for four projects identified as critical by the airport's planning organization, WH Pacific.

Projects include reconstruction of the airport ramp, putting in new LED lighting along the runways, remodeling or rebuilding Fire Station 3 and studying how to renovate the airport's terminal.

The city's match is $72,500.

"The application has been made," Campbell said. "Now we are waiting for federal approval."

Campbell is confident that will happen.

"It's likely we will get it because we get earmarked annually," Campbell said. "We also have around $200,000 left from last year that we think we will be able to role into the project."

According to WH Pacific

Project Manager Mark Huntzinger, the projects are necessary because the facility is aging.

"The apron, as best as I can recall, is close to 20 years old," Huntzinger said. "There is some severe alligator cracking that crack filling hasn't been able to address."

Alligator cracking isn't a technical term.

"It's when the surface looks like the skin of an alligator," Huntzinger said.

If the funds are approved, work could start as soon as this fall on rebuilding the apron. Crews would also replace the lighting on the runway at the same time, Campbell said.

"The LED lights aren't necessarily brighter, but they are much more energy efficient," Huntzinger said. "They are also almost 20 years old and the lights are connected by buried cable. The plan is to put the cable in a conduit, which should reduce rodents getting into it. For some reason they love the insulation on the wiring."

WH Pacific recommended remodeling or replacing Fire Station 3 because the airport's new fire truck barely fits in the building.

The remodel or construction of the station should cost around $100,000, Campbell said. Of that, the FAA will pay $90,000 and the city and state will each pay $5,000.

Copyright 2012 - The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.