Nearly $26 million for airports in eastern Iowa as part of relief grants

Airports are quiet as the coronavirus outbreak leaves people grounded. Less travel means less revenue. but for most airports relief is on the way.

The Department of Transportation announced Tuesday $10 billion in grants will be given to airports across the country to help ease some of the strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

In eastern Iowa, the following airports received grants:

Belle Plaine: $20,000

Cedar Rapids: $22,845,236

Charles City: $30,000

Clinton: $30,000

Decorah: $30,000

Dubuque: $1,159,773

Fairfield: $30,000

Grinnell: $30,000

Hampton: $30,000

Independence: $30,000

Iowa City: $69,000

Manchester: $20,000

Maquoketa: $20,000

Marshalltown: $30,000

Monticello: $30,000

Mount Pleasant: $30,000

Muscatine: $69,000

Oelwein: $30,000

Oskaloosa: $30,000

Ottumwa: $30,000

Tipton: $30,000

Vinton: $30,000

Washington: $30,000

Waterloo: $1,098,305

Waverly: $30,000

West Union: $20,000 This money can be used for things like rent, payroll, and utilities. Airports Council International, which represents airports globally, estimates airports in the United States will lose nearly $14 billion due to the pandemic. Federal Aviation Administration Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell said right now needed healthcare supplies are shipped through airports, so the funding is not just important economically but for healthcare as well. “It’s keeping airports open, keeping the people who work in these airports paid. And then after that, we want these airports to be up and running when we do come out of it and we do see the economy rebound," Elwell said. He said the funding is going to about 3,000 airports in all 50 states.