HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Guam International Airport Authority received extra financial assistance for going green.
The airport is renovating its terminal roof with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Terminal Program under the Federal Aviation Administration, which, according to the airport, has included an additional $3.2 million for the capital improvement project.
“We are very happy to receive these additional funds toward this worthy project,” GIAA Executive Manager John Quinata said in a press release. “These funds will be put to good use in rehabilitating our entire terminal roof and allows us to also install solar racking as we look to more efficient and sustainable practices in managing our energy consumption.”
The airport says it is using its funding to invest in renewable energy and sustainability solutions – namely, the terminal roofing system project, which involves a solar panel concept that will provide the airport with 1.6 megawatts of renewable energy.
“The GIAA recently broke ground on a $41.7 million rehabilitation project for the terminal apron and taxiways and have more capital improvement projects planned to upgrade and enhance the people of Guam’s airport facilities,” the airport release said.
The cost split for the project is 95% federal funds and 5% GIAA CIP funds. Because the project is costly, it was broken down into phases to match federal funding.
GIAA in February secured $21.4 million from the BIL under the FAA. The airport competed with 113 other airports for a portion of a $970 million grant. The airport is one of 70 airports across the nation to receive the additional funds under the BIL’s airport improvement grant program.
Airport Deputy Executive Manager Artemio “Ricky” Hernandez said receiving the additional $3.2 million from the FAA is a testament to the airport’s “prudent management” of their finances, “proper planning and execution of projects and excellent communication” with the FAA.
The aviation grant program was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is intended to provide a historic $25 billion over a five-year period to modernize the United States’ airport infrastructure.
The A.B. Won Pat International Airport is seen on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Tiyan.
