In March 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-141) appropriated $1 billion in supplemental discretionary funding in the form of Federal Aviation Administration airport grants to be available through September 30, 2020. In September 2018, the Oregon Department of Aviation submitted a request to the Joint Emergency Board to apply for this grant in the amount of $37 million for a runway extension at Aurora State Airport.
The Joint Emergency Board received extensive input in support and opposition from individuals and local jurisdictions in and near the airport. In order to seek a clearer picture of stakeholder points of view before a final vote in December 2018, the Joint Emergency Board engaged Oregon Solutions to conduct an impartial assessment of local governments, community members, and key stakeholders of the airport, to frame the issues related to the expansion, and to identify information and processes that could help address those issues.