In July and August, the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation received over $4.6 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program for two exciting projects: $1,836,063 for the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE) infrastructure program at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and $2,784,537 for the Taxiway L Pavement Rehabilitation program at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE). Senator Bob Casey championed the funding, stating “Pennsylvania’s airports connect us to each other and the rest of the world. When we upgrade them, we improve air travel and support economic growth in the Commonwealth.”
PHL's VALE infrastructure program improves airport air quality and helps airport sponsors meet their state-related air quality responsibilities under the Clean Air Act. This project will replace pre-existing Pre-Conditional Air (PCAir) units and Ground Power Units (GPUs) at various gates located in PHL Concourses A, B, and D. These units use power from the electrical grid rather than from airport jet engines, significantly reducing CO2 emissions.
PNE's Taxiway L Pavement Rehabilitation program includes rehabbing the existing pavement and improving runway geometry to ensure the continued safe operation of aircraft and provide new pavement markings and associated upgrades. Additionally, the construction crew will reclaim as much as 47.2 percent of the existing runway material, helping to reduce overall carbon emissions significantly.
The PHL and the PNE projects will improve airport safety, sustainability, and passenger experience while creating jobs in Philadelphia. “We are thankful to Senator Casey and the FAA for funding these essential sustainability initiatives,” said Api Appulingam, Deputy Director of Aviation - Capital Development. “This support helps us with not just doing the right projects but with doing our projects right.”
PNE’s Taxiway L Pavement Rehabilitation will include an Envision Sustainability Assessment, which evaluates five key elements of the project: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Resiliency. The Envision Sustainability Assessment was highlighted by the United States Conference of Mayors Business Council in their 2022 annual Best Practices Report.
