Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program (EMPP)

Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program (EMPP) is sponsored by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Provides grants for environmental mitigation projects that reduce aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at airports.

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faa. gov/airports/environmental/empp) # Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program (EMPP) The Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program allows the FAA to provide grants for environmental mitigation projects that will measurably reduce or mitigate aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at the airport or within five miles of the airport.

The pilot program was established by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254) and extended by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63). The EMPP allows the FAA to make grants for up to six projects at public-use airports per fiscal year.

Airport sponsors should prepare pre-applications including the information necessary for FAA to determine that the project satisfies requirements of both the program description and eligibility criteria. For further details on pre-application packages, see below. Applications for Fiscal Year 2026 consideration are due by **May 15th, 2026.

** ## 2022 Selected Projects In August 2022, the FAA announced plans to fund 5 projects. _**Note: John Wayne Airport, Orange County, decided not to accept the grant, and the project is not moving forward under the FAA’s Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program.

**_ **John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California** **Project Description:** Acquire, install, and operate a water treatment system designed to eliminate the use and discharge of hazardous chemicals in the airport's cooling tower.

In partnership with Dynamic Water Technologies, LLC; and Sterling Energy International, Inc., Orange County will use the funding to acquire, install, and operate a water treatment system designed to eliminate the use and discharge of hazardous chemicals currently used in the airport’s cooling tower operation. **Status:** The airport withdrew its application due to needed infrastructure upgrades that could interfere with the project.

**Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky** **Project Description:** Install three active noise control systems to reduce departing aircraft noise for neighboring communities.

In partnership with Harris Miller Miller & Hanson, Inc., and the National Institute of Aerospace, the Louisville Regional Airport Authority will use the funding to install three active noise control systems to reduce departing aircraft noise by as much as 10 dB (decibels) for three communities near the airfield. **Gerald R.

Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, Michigan** **Project Description:** Implement a cost-effective remediation method for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in soils. In partnership with CDM Smith, Inc.; Michigan State University; LimnoTech, Inc.; the American Association of Airport Executives; and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Gerald R.

Ford International Airport Authority will use the funding to implement a cost-effective remediation method for PFAS contamination in soils to reduce impact on water quality. The project will evaluate adsorptive materials to reduce soil and water contamination.

**Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Michigan** **Project Description:** Implement a deicing fluid application control system that incorporates precision deicing technology.

In partnership with Trimble, Inc., the Wayne County Airport Authority will use the funding to implement a deicing fluid application control system that incorporates precision deicing technology to minimize deicing fluid over-spray, reduces the amount of applied chemicals, and improves the quality of deicing runoff. The new technology will be installed on existing deicing equipment as well as on six new deicing units.

**Fairbanks International Airport, Alaska** **Project Description:** Implement thermal remediation and other technologies to treat PFAS-contaminated soils and liquids.

In partnership with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation; Contaminated Sites Program; the American Association of Airport Executives; Aquagga, Inc.; ASRC Consulting & Environmental Services, LLC; and Shannon & Wilson, Inc., the Alaska Department of Transportation, Division of Statewide Aviation, will use the funding to implement thermal remediation and other technologies to treat PFAS-contaminated soils and liquids.

The airport will use electrically driven, mobile remediation equipment that treats soil and liquids for mitigation, possibly allowing the material to remain on site. ## What Projects Qualify?

Projects funded through this pilot program: * Should introduce new environmental mitigation techniques or technologies that have been proven in laboratory demonstrations * Should propose methods for efficient adaptation or integration of new concepts into airport operations. * Must measurably reduce or mitigate aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at the airport or within five miles of the airport.

* Must demonstrate whether new techniques or new technologies are practical to implement at or near public-use airports. The law prioritizes projects implemented by joint teams of at least two of the following types of organizations: businesses, educational or research organizations, State or local government, and Federal laboratories. ## What Funds Are Available?

Selected projects may receive up to $2. 5 million in federal funding through grants from the Airport Improvement Program’s noise and environmental set-aside. Grants will cover 50 percent of project costs, and airports must provide 50 percent in airport matching funds.

Airports must complete projects within 24 months of receiving the grants. ## What Should Pre-application Packages Include? Airport sponsors should submit a pre-application package to their local FAA Airports District Office that— * Includes a project title and location and identifies the entities that will carry out the project.

* Includes a description of the roles and responsibilities of each entity and is signed by all identified entities.

* Includes a project description that discusses the project and anticipated benefits, the roles and responsibilities of each entity involved in the program, and how the project meets the program’s goals of funding mitigation that is not widely available at airports; it could introduce a novel, applicable mitigation opportunity for airport development operations. * Describes how environmental benefits will be measured.

* Includes a draft scope of work describing how the entity will implement the environmental mitigation project. * Includes a schedule for completion of the project within 24 months of grant award and features quarterly reporting to the airport sponsor’s Regional or Airport District Office. * Includes a preliminary SF-424, with estimated project cost broken out by federal and local share.

The pre-application should be formatted as follows: * Be a single-spaced document, using standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman, with 1-inch margins. * Not exceed 25 pages in length, including any attachments or appendices.

* If the pre-application includes information the applicant considers to be trade secret or confidential commercial or financial information, note on the front cover that the submission ‘‘Contains Confidential Business Information’’ and mark each affected page. DOT protects such information from disclosure to the extent allowed under applicable law. * Contact Us about the Airport EMPP ## What Do We Hope to Learn?

New environmental mitigation techniques or technologies capable of reducing noise, emissions or water quality impacts in measurably significant amounts that can be easily transferable to other airports. Last updated: Thursday, April 2, 2026 ## U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration 800 Independence Avenue, SW 866. 835.

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