Washington - Today, US Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced the Ocean City Municipal Airport will receive $300,000 in funds under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). Awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration, these funds will be used for the rehabilitation of airport's runway and taxiway lightning and all other associated electrical equipment, and an update of the airport's Master Plan to determine the needs of the facility to accommodate future aviation demand. The Ocean City Municipal Airport will receive these funds in addition to the $2.5 million airport received as part of the Economic Recovery Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in February earlier this year:

"We want to ensure that Ocean City Airport is as safe, modern and reliable as possible," said Senator Menendez. "Reliable air travel bolsters the area's economic competitiveness, and these funds will help ensure safety for travelers and added capacity to accommodate future demand increases."
"We need to ensure New Jersey's airports are safe and that travelers get to their destinations on time," Senator Lautenberg said. "These funds will help improve and modernize Ocean City's Airport so it can meet future travel and public safety demands."

Existing lightning at the airport was installed back in 1997 under a similar AIP grant. Exposure to the harsh salt environment in the area since its installation has resulted in considerable corrosion and deterioration. Updates to the airport's Master Plan to determine the facilities' future aviation demand will be technically sound, practical, economically feasible, and environmentally sound.

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