Nearly $1.5 million headed to McMinnville airport

The McMinnville Municipal Airport will receive a $1.46 million federal grant for apron reconstruction, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both D-Oregon, announced Thursday.

The money will pay for reconstruction of 10,500 square yards of existing apron on which aircraft can be parked, boarded, unloaded and refueled.

McMinnville’s airport “plays a critical role in helping Yamhill County residents and businesses stay connected with other communities in Oregon and beyond,” Merkley said.

Wyden added that small airports such as the one in McMinnville “are essential to quality of life and keeping the local economy robust despite the economic consequences of COVID-19.”

The funding is being distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.