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ITD seeks spending authority for airport grants, aircraft maintenance and community projects
Summary
The Idaho Transportation Department requested $10 million in authority for a governor’s aeronautics initiative to fund airport grants and equipment; lawmakers sought specifics on airports and return on investment while the director said most funds are community grants and some would cover expensive airplane engine repairs.
The Idaho Transportation Department asked the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee for authority to spend $10 million under a governor’s initiative to support airports and equipment, including community grants and repairs for ITD aircraft.
The request is billed as spending authority for funds already in ITD’s account: interest earned on the Strategic Initiative Aeronautics Fund and residual aviation fuel tax receipts. Director Scott Stokes said roughly $4 million would come from interest on the Strategic Initiatives Aeronautics Fund and the remainder from aviation fuel tax receipts; he also said some funds would be needed for aircraft engine replacement or repair that could cost about $800,000 per engine.
Representative Horman asked which airports and pieces of equipment would be paid for and what the expected return on investment would be. Stokes said the money is intended primarily for community (general‑aviation) airports around the state — facilities such as Blackfoot, Rexburg, Shelley and Bonners Ferry — through ITD’s airport grant program. He said community projects are typically community‑sponsored and are slower to implement, so the program operates as a competitive grant process similar to other ITD grant programs.
Stokes also explained an equipment component: ITD operates at least one aircraft that will require expensive repairs or engine replacement within the next three years. “Engine replacement, in the next 3 years... they're about $800,000 apiece,” Stokes said. He added the agency is assessing whether to repair or replace the plane and noted a maintenance facility near the Boise airport also needs repairs.
Committee members pressed for measurement and reporting. Stokes said community grants would be administered like existing programs: ITD would issue grants and report completions to the legislature. He said a return‑on‑investment calculation for aircraft repair versus replacement would require follow‑up reporting.
The governor’s recommended language would allow ITD to spend the funds for grants and equipment as requested. Lawmakers asked the department to provide a list of prospective community projects, expected deliverables, and a reporting plan for outcomes if the committee grants the spending authority.
