Oregonians travel by air about 6 million times each year. But starting on Oct. 1, 2020, new security rules will take affect at all Oregon airports. (Zane Sparling)

Six Oregon airports will receive $5.15 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, members of Oregon’s congressional delegation announced in a news release.

“Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities and economies — supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon said in the release. “This federal funding will allow Oregon regional airports to make critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our communities and economy.”

The federal agency will distribute the funds to the following airports:

• $3.3 million to the Aurora State Airport to rehabilitate its runway.
  $697,000 to the Portland International Airport to rebuild the east curtain wall in the main terminal.
• $650,000 to the Newport Municipal Airport to install a new automated weather observing system.
• $245,000 to McNary Field in Salem — which recently announced it’s losing its only airline on Aug. 10 — to fix an existing paved taxiway.
• $163,000 to the the Grant County Regional Airport in John Day to acquire nine acres of land to protect a runway approach.
• $99,000 to the Brookings Airport to install a new rotating beacon, runway lighting upgrades and install a new wind cone navigational aid.

Newport City Manager Nina Vetter said the grant will help provide a vital service to the Newport Municipal Airport. The city receives over 2 million visitors annually, she said.

“Weather conditions on the Oregon coast can change within minutes, and it is essential that our airport is able to continue to provide accurate data and information that keeps pilots and passengers safe on their journey to and from Newport,” she said in the news release.

Monday’s investment announcement from U.S. Sens. Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with U.S. Reps. Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas and Maxine Dexter, adds to the $32.7 million the state already secured this year for its rural, coastal and other statewide airports.