NH airports land $15.2M through CARES Act
A FedEx plane that landed Sunday at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport with 91,000 pounds of personal protective equipment will help the state fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now the airport needs help.
Coming to the aid of airports struggling with declining traffic, federal officials on Tuesday announced New Hampshire facilities will receive $15.2 million through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Manchester will receive $12,129,630, the most among the 14 airports that will benefit.
Portsmouth International Airport will receive $1,607,474 and Lebanon Municipal Airport $1,060,370.
Airports are needed to ensure essential workers and supplies can reach the state and business and industry travelers can make necessary trips, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said in a statement Tuesday.
“These resources will provide urgent relief to help our airports weather this storm so they can continue to operate and provide Granite Staters with transportation options once this pandemic is behind us,” she said.
The CARES Act money is in addition to $1.25 billion the state will receive for COVID-19 emergency response efforts. New Hampshire previously received $4.9 million for COVID-19 preparations from the first coronavirus response bill, according to the statement.
Last month, Shaheen led a bipartisan call urging the Trump Administration to work with Congress to deliver relief to U.S. airports. The announcement Tuesday included Sen. Maggie Hassan and Reps. Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas.
Gov. Chris Sununu, who heard about the money during his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday, called it “terrific news.” Read more.
