The Tennessee Department of Transportation has awarded two grants to Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, announced Sens. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) Monday in a joint statement.

The grants are available through the Division of Aeronautics and totals $37,000 after a local match of $5,250 is added. The funds will be used for ground maintenance equipment and tree trimming.

"I am pleased to see that TDOT is providing a grant to the Murfreesboro airport to make necessary improvements,” Ketron said.

Only eight airports in the state received funding during this round of grants.

Except for routine expenditures, grant applications are reviewed by the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission, which is a five member board charged with policy planning and with regulating changes in the state Airport System Plan.

The board reviews all applications for grants to ensure that the proper state and local matching funds are in place and that the grants will be used for needed improvements.

“There are many local citizens who utilize this airport,” added Tracy, who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. “I am very pleased that these funds will be available to help with improvements and am hopeful that we will continue to see many more grants coming into Rutherford County in the future.”