6:00: Morning News

Justice recommending final funding for Mercer Airport water project

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Pending final approval from a federal agency, the Mercer County Airport will have public water service for the first time.

Gov. Jim Justice was at the airport Tuesday afternoon for a ceremonial grant presentation. Justice is recommending a transfer of $250,000 of the state’s Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funds to the project that’s being handled by the Bluewell Public Service District.

The public service district received $3.5 million in original funding for the project in 2016 but bids opened back in April exceeded that amount. Justice said the ARC transfer will give the project the funding it needs.

“It’s $250,000 for the overruns, the rock, and everything we’ve encountered. We’ve got to get this thing off the bubble,” Justice said. “The airport to me is always the heart of the community. It starts with the airport and then it goes to the schools, the roads and the other stuff but the airport is the pulse always.”

The project will extend public water service along U.S. Route 52 to the airport providing service for 75 near customers including 10 businesses. Justice said the airport has been using wells for too long.

“They’ve been using wells and the wells dry up and get too low, it’s always something. So this just ensures a better facility and just the viability of the pulse,” Justice said.

Justice’s recommendation is being forwarded to the ARC for approval. Construction cannot start until the approval is granted.

The water line extension would represent another major project for the Mercer County Airport. A $2 million repaving the airport’s runway was recently completed.





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