A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam

The GIAA Board accepted $8.5 Million in grant awards for various airport projectsat its Board of Directors meeting held February 26, 2009. The grant award is part of the anticipated full year funding from the FAA dependentupon the final disposition of the stimulus package for airports anticipated in the next several months.

The grants were awarded for the following projects:

• $7Million for electrical upgrades under FAA’s Military Airports Program (MAP) program ;
• $700,000 for updates to the Airport Master Plan ; and
• $744,647 for extension of Runway 6L/24R (continuation of phases)

"We appreciate the continued support of the FAA in building up critical Airport infrastructure,” stated Chairman Martin Gerber. “Completion of the extension of our runway is an important component in realizingGuam’s air cargo opportunities and allowing us to attract carriers to serve the long haul-long range destinations from West to East, with Guam being the pivotal hub for the airlines."

Development of Airport properties and infrastructure in the past 5 years have been substantial. Over $170Million in FAA funding and nearly $40 Million in private investment has been vested in aviation related facilities that are necessary to expand Guam’s economy. The landscape of the Airport’s Tiyan Business Park is the most obvious sign of development on Airport properties, with former NAS buildings razed to make way for air cargo related enterprise and for construction of a parallel taxiway and extended runway with expanded safety zone areas.

Infrastructure improvements is a bridge to the opportunities of the liberalized cargo exemptions granted to Guam by the US Dept of Transportation since 2006, and adds to the capacity for new traffic as anticipated under the pending decision on the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program by the US Department of Homeland Security.

"Guam has been given unique opportunity by the FAA, the US DOT and US leaders to move forward in being a key economic catalyst in the region. The Authority will continue to capitalize on these opportunities for the people of Guam and GIAA will certainly do its part to help achieve that goal," said GIAA Board Chairman Martin J. Gerber.