Craven County approves $867,508 FAA grant for runway protection zone design at Runway 22

Ray Dunn, speaking for the Craven County Airport, told the Board of Commissioners on Sept. 15 that the county is prepared to accept a Federal Aviation Administration fiscal‑year 2025 airport improvement grant in the amount of $867,508 to fund design and permitting work in the runway protection zone at the end of Runway 22.

"This specific grant is for the runway safety area at the end of Runway 22," Dunn said, explaining the grant covers design and permitting within the runway protection zone rather than the runway extension itself.

Dunn said the grant is for design/permitting of the runway protection zone and associated safety areas and that the county normally receives about $1.3 million in FAA funding per year; any remaining balance (about $400,000) can be rolled into fiscal 2026. He also said the FAA had not yet signed the grant agreement but expected to deliver it within days and asked that the chair be authorized to sign the grant when it arrives.

Commissioner Bill Pope, identified in the meeting as chair of the airport authority and an engineer, was present to answer technical questions. County commissioners moved, seconded and approved the request; the board recorded unanimous assent during the public meeting and no opposition was recorded.

The work described in the presentation includes design and permitting associated with the runway protection zone and a blast pad at the end of the runway extension near Williams Road and the proposed Interstate 42 corridor. Dunn said the grant does not pay for construction of a runway extension but supports safety area design and permitting.

The board’s formal approval authorized county staff to accept the FAA grant and for the chair to execute the grant agreement when delivered by the FAA.