Biden Infrastructure Law for Our Airports

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $970 million from the Biden Infrastructure Law to 114 airports:

“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure. These investments we’re announcing today, made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure package, will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”

San Francisco International Airport

On Thursday, February 15, representatives Nancy Pelosi and Kevin Mullin announced that SFO would soon be receiving $31 million from the FAA to replace outdated, failing systems that control temperature, humidity, and air quality at the International Terminal. The upgrades will reduce energy use, lower maintenance costs, and create good-paying union jobs for Bay Area residents. The money for this project is provided by the Airport’s FY2024 award from the Biden Infrastructure Law. Representative Mullin noted the importance of SFO among the country’s airports:

SFO is one of our nation’s premier international airports with over 50 million passengers traveling through it last year alone. Thanks to our historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this $31 million grant marks a substantial commitment in improving the energy efficiency and resiliency of the International Terminal at the Bay Area’s busiest airport. Whether you’re coming home or planning to travel across the globe, this investment in our infrastructure and economy will help ensure SFO continues to be a world-class destination.

Oakland International Airport

Our neighbors across the Bay have also benefited a couple of times from the Biden Infrastructure Law at their airport.

First, in December of 2021, Rep. Barbara Lee announced that Oakland Airport would receive runway improvements and noise abatements thanks to the Biden Infrastructure Law:

The Infrastructure Act included $15 billion nationwide in funding for airport development grants. These projects include improvements to runways and taxiways, terminal development and noise prevention. Oakland’s $15.49 million allocation is determined by a formula based on cargo and passenger volumes, among other factors.

Congresswoman Lee also announced a separate $5.2 million grant from the Department of Transportation to fund clean energy projects at the Oakland Seaport, also owned by the Port of Oakland. The grant will support the Port’s vision of achieving zero emissions in maritime operations.

Together, the Infrastructure Act funding and the clean energy grant represent more than $20 million in federal investments to improve operations and increase sustainability at the East Bay’s transportation and shipping hub.

Thank you to Secretary Buttigieg and the Department of Transportation for supporting the Port of Oakland’s truly visionary work to end reliance on fossil fuels in maritime operations.

More recently, on February 15, senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler announced that Oakland Airport had received another $10 million, this time for more and better restrooms:

This award funds Phase 1 of the restroom improvements including the reopening of a women’s restroom at Gate 4, the renovation of the men’s restroom at Gate 3, and the transformation of the existing men’s Restroom at Gate 7 into single user all gender/family restrooms, accompanied by a dedicated lactation room.

The new funding is part of an $89 million raft of grants to four California airports, including SFO and OAK, also from the Biden Infrastructure Law.