FAA grants pave way for Sussex airport upgrades

Sussex County has garnered more than $1 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants in an ongoing effort to extend the main runway by 500 feet and make other improvements at the county-owned airport near Georgetown.

The county has been working on plans to extend by 1,000 feet the 5,000-foot-long main runway at the airport, a general aviation field that also serves as an economic hub for manufacturing in the county.

Airport Manager Jim Hickin said two grants from the FAA include $724,000 to pay for design work for the runway extension and $514,000 to pay for an unrelated wetlands mitigation project. Council accepted both grants, a necessary step for funds to flow from the federal government to Sussex County.

"These are important pieces to the funding puzzle for the planned improvements at the Sussex County

Airport," Hickin said during the Sept. 13 meeting. "Without this critical support, these plans might have been delayed or otherwise not possible."

Citing safety and economic development reasons, county officials have said a 1,000-foot runway extension would better accommodate larger aircraft, including Boeing 737s and Boeing 757s, some of which already land at the airport for conversion work at PATS Aircraft in the adjoining industrial airpark.

In the past year, the county has ramped up its efforts, working with state and federal officials to secure funding to complete the full extension project. Nearly

$24.5 million is needed for the county's goal of a 1,000-foot extension, but federal funding ibr that project is not yet available.

So far, county council has committed to the 500-foot extension, which would cost significantly less, approximately $9 million, because it would not require the relocation of nearby Park Avenue.

The 500-foot extension project would be eligible for 95 percent funding from the FAA. The balance would be shared betwean county and state governments.

The FAA's recent decision to award the county $724,000 ibr design work is a strong signal that further federal funding will follow for construction of the 500-foot runway project, Hiclin said. Construction of the 500-foot extension is slated to begin in fall 2012 and be completed by late 2013.

Sussex plans replace wetlands

The wetlands mitigation project will take place on a counyowned 9-acre parcel along Route 54 near Selbyrille. Airport manager Jim Hickin said in the late 1990s, the county removed trees on airport property to comply with FAA regulations relating to obstructions to navigation.

Based on a 1936 aerial photograph, Environmental Protection Agency officials said nine acres of wooded wetlands had been disturbed, Hickin said.

Since 2003, county and EPA officials have been negotiating on whether the mitigation was necessary; the EPA finally ruled it was required.

"We need to get this off the books and move forward,", Hickin said.

The airport manager said the mitigation project could not take place near the airport because wetlands attract birds and other wildlife, which could be detrimental to airport safety. The project is not related to the 500-foot runway extension.