Duluth's Sky Harbor Airport will receive a $110,636 federal grant to conduct an environmental study for a runway realignment as an alternative to removing old-growth trees that are obstructing a runway approach.
The grant was one of several U.S. Department of Transportation grants made to airports in Northeastern Minnesota announced Friday by U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar.
About 300 red pine and white pine trees have reached heights interfering with the runway approach to Sky Harbor from the south. Many area residents, the Park Point Community Club and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are against cutting down those trees. Some of the trees are estimated to be about two centuries old.
Last spring, in a temporary solution to the dispute over what to do about the trees, the runway was reconfigured so that planes coming in from the south touch down 558 feet farther down the runway, leaving 2,492 feet. This will allow planes to continue landing during the day when the weather is good.
The temporary fix is meant to last for the next year or two while a more permanent solution is found.
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Other grants announced Friday include:
* $361,000 to Chisholm-Hibbing Airport for the rehabilitation of an existing runway and to design a new one.
* $337,061 to Falls International Airport in International Falls to acquire land for approaches, purchase snow removal equipment and expand the terminal building.
* $47,500 to Aitkin Municipal-Steve Kurtz Field to conduct an environmental assessment on a proposed expansion.
* $38,000 to Ely Municipal Airport to rehabilitate the runway and taxiways.
* $26,183 to Orr Regional Airport to acquire snow removal equipment and remove tress and other obstructions.
