Board agrees to $120,000 match to pursue FDOT Avgas fuel farm grant

Suwannee County commissioners on Wednesday authorized staff to pursue a state grant and approved a $120,000 local match to replace the airport's aging avgas (aviation gasoline) fuel farm.

Airport staff described a planned project to retire underground piping, install a new 12,000‑gallon above‑ground Avgas tank and replace fueling equipment and self‑service systems. The state program structure changed recently, staff said, narrowing the categories that can receive 100% state funding; as a result the county would be eligible for an approximately $600,000 FDOT grant but must provide a roughly $120,000 match.

The board approved providing the match so staff could apply for the grant. Airport staff said the new above‑ground system would reduce environmental risk (pipelines and corrosion hidden underground) and permit better visibility for inspections. The planned system would be similar to a previously installed Jet‑A above‑ground tank and would include double‑wall piping and standard aviation fueling controls.

Commissioners asked several technical questions about the system: whether the tanks, piping and self‑service payments are included (staff said the grant package would replace pumps, piping and dispensers and keep only the credit‑card interface), and whether the upgrade leaves capacity for future expansion (staff said the project increases capacity from the current 10,000‑gallon tank to a 12,000‑gallon tank and would reduce split‑delivery fuel costs).

Staff said the grant would be administered by FDOT and that, if the county proceeded with the match and the application was denied, the county would seek return of the match if FDOT rules allowed; commissioners instructed staff to ensure match funds were restricted to the grant and to seek reimbursement if the grant were not awarded.

The board's decision authorized staff to apply for the grant and to include the $120,000 match in the proposed budget.