Pearson Field was awarded just under $300,000 from the Federal Aviation Administration for environmental impact studies on a handful of projects at the airport.
The airport is planning to rehabilitate its runway, the adjacent apron and modify the taxiway as part of a five-year capital improvement plan.
Airport Manager Willy Williamson said the airport is also planning to relocate some below-ground fuel tanks.
“I don’t feel good with a high water table and underground fuel tanks,” Williamson said. “We feel it’s more environmentally sound to have them above ground.”
Within the next five years, the airport might also replace its old hangars with new, larger ones that will accommodate the larger wingspans of newer small aircraft.
Williamson said the grant will also cover an archeological review and a wildlife review.
The airport is entirely contained within the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, so everything there is recognized as a historical property.
“We have to make sure we don’t interrupt any archeology without notifying the proper people the archeologists and we certainly want to document it,” Williamson said.
Pearson Field is the only instrument-approach airfield in Clark County and is owned by the city of Vancouver.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the grant this week.
