Southland Airport a $1M grant recipient
Rita LeBleu
U.S. Congressman Clay Higgins announced Thursday that Southland Field in Sulphur will receive $1,089,200 to expand the airport apron to 9,000 square yards.
The apron is the area for parking aircraft between the taxiway and hangars, said Southland Field Manager Tim LeFleur.
“This expansion increases the apron by 50 percent,” he said.
Bids for the work will be received by the airport by May 27. Construction is scheduled to begin in July, according to Dalton Langford, West Calcasieu Airport Managing Board Chair.
“Infrastructure investments like these ensure that our airports can continue to serve local industry,” Higgins said. “Southland Field, in particular, was badly damaged during Hurricane Laura. The apron expansion project is one of many needed to restore full operational capacity at the airport. ”
Darla Perry is the West Calcasieu Airport Managing Board’s contracted CPA.
She said, LeFleur and Langford have been working with the airport’s engineering firm, Meyers & Associates and FAA Program Director Richard Tollefson for the last 12 months on this grant request.
“It’s been a process,” she said.
Despite a FEMA engineer and an independent engineer declaring this building more than 50 percent destroyed, a second FEMA representative, who has not seen the building in person, has not agreed thus far with the determination so that the building can be demolished.