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VIDALIA, La. — U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D., announced Tuesday that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will grant $229,000 for the construction, modification, and rehabilitation of a hangar at Concordia Parish Airport from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Additionally, The New Orleans Lakefront Airport will receive $986,000 for the rehabilitation of a taxiway. The FAA will grant Louisiana $1,215,000.00 to improve local airports from IIJA funds.

“Improving our airports is not only important for our residents, but to attract new businesses and stimulate economic growth,” said Cassidy. “The infrastructure law provides funding that allows for the investment in the future of Louisiana.”

Since last fall, Louisiana airports have received a total of $71.5 million in IIJA funding, with more expected over the next three years.

Vidalia Mayor Buz Craft said with industries building in Vidalia, namely the expansion of Syrah Resources’ graphite plant, “nice upgrades” to the airport hangar would be beneficial.

“When we spoke with Senator Bill Cassidy about that, … I’m glad he took it into account,” Craft said.

The IIJA provides several funding avenues that could also later benefit Vidalia, Craft said.

“We’re reaching for all of it, whether it is to work on D.A. Biglane road, the bridge, or port expansion,” he said.

The bipartisan infrastructure law, championed by Cassidy, includes funds that will “rebuild roads and bridges, increase access to high-speed internet, strengthen our electric grid, add levee protection, and improve flood resiliency” all across Louisiana, he said.

“After almost every corner of our state was hit by natural disasters in the last year, we must have the federal investment to protect us from future storms,” Cassidy said after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “This bipartisan bill is the right way to reinvest in our country, unlike Democrats reckless tax-and-spending spree, which I continue to strongly oppose.”