The grant funding is part of a FAA project to aid airports in acquiring security equipment in support of Transportation Security Administration requirements.  Built in 1948, the South Arkansas Regional Airport does not have a layout that lends itself to screening checkpoints.  With this funding, the airport will be able to provide a secure area where passengers can wait for their flights after screening.

"We must ensure that our local and municipal airports are as safe and technologically advanced as possible, and I'm pleased that South Arkansas Regional Airport has secured these important funds," Senator Blanche Lincoln said.  "Ensuring modernized, quality travel routes in Arkansas is key to attracting both businesses and jobs to our state, and these funds go a long way in aiding this effort."

 “This is wonderful news for travelers making use of this airport,” Ross said.  “Safety regulations after September 11, 2001 have left many of our local airports struggling to afford necessary upgrades to their equipment and their facilities.  I travel frequently between our district and our nation’s capital, and I can tell you that the South Arkansas Regional Airport is not alone in this struggle.  Given its recent contract with Mesa Airlines, the passenger volume will soon pick up considerably – this funding comes just in time.”