Springfield airport receives $15M grant from stimulus

Springfield-Branson National Airport will receive a $15 million grant through the federal economic stimulus package, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill said Tuesday.

The grant is from the U.S. Department of Transportation and will be provided through the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program, according to a news release. It will be used for taxiway construction at the Springfield airport, where a new $117 million terminal is set to open May 6.

Another $7 million in federal grant money has been provided to the state to distribute to airports across Missouri.

Federal stimulus money is being dispersed through grants and loans - a more accountable process than earmarks, McCaskill said in the release.