Financial assistance under Section 34 may also include reimbursement to eligible airport sponsors for the construction or upgrading of Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) financed in whole or in part by State monies. Costs of constructing or upgrading Automated Weather Observation Systems prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly are eligible for State reimbursements provided that all required State procedures were followed at the time the project was approved by the Department. Financial assistance under Section 34 may also include reimbursements to eligible airport sponsors for land acquisition costs directly related to projects financed either in whole or in part by federal and State monies, and for engineering and construction costs directly related to projects financed in whole or in part by State monies; provided, (1) such engineering, construction, or land acquisition costs were approved by the Department prior to the payment of these costs by the airport sponsor, (2) no State or federal monies have previously been expended for such purposes on such projects, and (3) no State monies shall be expended as reimbursement on any project for engineering or land acquisition unless construction costs for that project are funded by the State. Approval of engineering, construction, or land acquisition costs by the Department prior to the payment of such costs by an airport sponsor shall qualify those costs for State reimbursement but shall not constitute an obligation of State funds in consideration of available appropriation and eligibility of appropriation. Costs of land acquisition by airport sponsors prior to the effective date of this amendatory act of 1982 are qualified for State reimbursement provided all federal and State procedures were followed at the time of acquisition.