LaMalfa Announces Grant for Chico Municipal Taxiway Reconstruction

(Chico, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration granted $3,115,281 to Chico Municipal Airport (CIC) to reconstruct a taxiway.

LaMalfa said: "The infrastructure improvements will help attract passenger service and improve the airport's efficacy, especially during fire season. Not only does Chico Municipal Airport serve as an important economic hub for Butte County, but It also has the potential to serve as a strategic air attack base for firefighting aircraft. These funds will also help rebuild Taxiway Alpha at CIC, improving the quality of service for commercial planes, local tourists, and CAL FIRE aircraft. Especially given the previous grant we secured to establish new airline service between Chico and Los Angeles, this taxiway revitalization project is timely. I look forward to seeing the implementation of this funding soon."

In 2018, Congressman LaMalfa sponsored an amendment to the FAA reauthorization, removing a longstanding prohibition that kept CIC from receiving commercial air grants. This resulted in a previously announced $500,000 grant from the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP), allowing for CIC to partner with an airline to create a route to Los Angeles.