Reno airport gets $30 million of $10 billion from CARES Act

RENO, Nev. — Reno-Tahoe International Airport received a $30,957,866 grant this month to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the award on April 14. In all, the FAA will award $231,448,014 in aid to 30 airports in Nevada.

McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, meanwhile, received $195,485,334.

Elsewhere locally, Carson City Airport and Minden-Tahoe Airport both received a $69,000 grant. The Reno-Stead, Yerington and Fallon airports all received $30,000. In California, Truckee-Tahie Airport received $157,000.

The funding is part of the Trump administration's Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program, an effort to bail out the airline industry amid the pandemic.

“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation's airports during this crisis and save workers' jobs,” Chao said in a statement.

This funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.