A bill to improve airport runway safety, and for other purposes.

Summary: Runway Safety Improvement Act of 2008 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop and submit to Congress: (1) a strategic runway safety plan; as well as (2) a plan and schedule for installation and deployment of systems to alert air traffic controllers and flight crews of potential runway incursions at commercial airports and general aviation airports that are most at risk of such incursions.

Directs the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review and report annually to Congress on the installation of each advanced surface movement system funded by the Administrator.

Authorizes appropriations for the purchase and installation of certain runway incursion avoidance systems.

Directs the Administrator to: (1) review runway and taxiway lighting (both at daytime and nighttime) and markings at certain airports for compliance with FAA standards; (2) identify runways on which nonstandard lighting and markings may contribute, or may have contributed, to operational errors or incidents; and (3) submit such review to Congress along with a plan for remedying variance in lighting conditions and markings at nonstandard runways.

Directs the Administrator to evaluate for Congress the potential for improving safety and accident investigations through the use of systems that monitor and record the status of lighting systems on the movement areas of, or that are critical to the safe operations at, certain airports.

Requires the Administrator to: (1) initiate a rulemaking to revise federal aircraft rescue and firefighting standards to improve the protection of the public from fires and hazardous materials incidents; (2) collect data on aircraft runway overruns that do not result in fatalities or property damage; and (3) report to Congress on potential safety risks identified by such data, including actions taken by airports and the FAA to reduce those risks.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Runway Safety Improvement Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RUNWAY SAFETY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (referred to in this Act as the ``Administrator'') shall 
develop and submit to Congress a report that contains a strategic 
runway safety plan.
    (b) Contents of Plan.--The strategic runway safety plan submitted 
under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) include--
                    (A) goals to improve runway safety;
                    (B) a description of near- and longer-term actions 
                designed to reduce the severity, number, and rate of 
                runway incursions;
                    (C) time frames and resources needed for the 
                actions described in subparagraph (B); and
                    (D) a plan to implement a continuous evaluative 
                process to track performance toward the goals referred 
                to in subparagraph (A); and
            (2) address the increased runway safety risk associated 
        with the expected increases in the volume of air traffic.
    (c) Audit of Strategic Runway Safety Plan.--The Comptroller General 
of the United States shall--
            (1) conduct an audit of the plan developed under subsection 
        (a); and
            (2) submit periodic reports to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives that describe--
                    (A) the efficacy of the runway safety plan in 
                reducing runway safety risks; and
                    (B) the progress of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration in complying with the plan.

SEC. 3. TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.

    (a) Plan and Schedule for Installation and Deployment of Systems To 
Provide Alerts of Potential Runway Incursions.--
            (1) Deployment plan.--Not later than December 31, 2008, the 
        Administrator shall submit to Congress a plan for the 
        installation of and deployment schedule for systems to alert 
        air traffic controllers and flight crews of potential runway 
        incursions at--
                    (A) the 35 commercial airports in the United States 
                that are most at risk of runway incursions; and
                    (B) general aviation airports identified by the 
                Administrator as being most at risk of runway 
                incursions.
            (2) Contents.--The plan submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) ensure existing technology for improved 
                situational awareness is available to pilots of 
                commercial and large general aviation aircraft;
                    (B) enhance the value of investments in surface 
                movement detection systems by ensuring that runway 
                incursion alert data collected by such systems are 
                automatically and directly transmitted to flight crews; 
                and
                    (C) ensure that airports most at risk of runway 
                incursions receive priority for the installation of 
                advanced surface movement detection systems.
            (3) Objectives.--The installation and deployment schedule 
        required under paragraph (1) shall ensure that--
                    (A) not later than March 31, 2009, the 
                Administrator certifies an integrated aircraft and 
                ground-based capability that transmits runway incursion 
                alerts generated by advanced surface movement detection 
                systems to pilots without controller intervention;
                    (B) not later than December 31, 2009, capability 
                providing aural indication of own aircraft position 
                relative to airport runways is installed on--
                            (i) all aircraft operated pursuant to part 
                        121 or 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations, with more than 10 seats; and
                            (ii) all turbine-powered aircraft operated 
                        pursuant to part 91 of such title 14, with more 
                        than 6 seats;
                    (C) not later than June 30, 2010, the Administrator 
                provides the capability described in subparagraph (A) 
                at all airports equipped with advanced surface movement 
                detection systems;
                    (D) not later than December 31, 2010, all aircraft 
                described in subparagraph (B) at airports equipped with 
                advanced surface movement detection systems are 
                equipped with the capability to receive, process, and 
                present runway incursion alerts to pilots; and
                    (E) a schedule is published for the equipage of 
                aircraft operated pursuant to part 125 or 129 of title 
                14, Code of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Review of Implementation of Advanced Surface Movement Detection 
Systems.--The Inspector General of the Department of Transportation 
shall--
            (1) review the installation of each advanced surface 
        movement detection system funded by the Administrator to ensure 
        that each system functions in accordance with the product's 
        certification by the Administrator; and
            (2) submit an annual report to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives that describes the status of the proper 
        implementation of each system, including a review of the 
        system's--
                    (A) reliability to ensure it is not susceptible to 
                failures to generate timely alerts for controllers to 
                take appropriate action; and
                    (B) ability to successfully operates in all climate 
                conditions in which aircraft operations are conducted 
                at the airport.

SEC. 4. INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Technology Investments.--
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator, from 
amounts deposited in the Airport and Airway Trust Fund established 
under section 9502(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to install 
systems designed to reduce the potential for runway incursions through 
the purchase and installation of advanced surface movement detection 
systems, and cockpit-direct audible runway incursion warning systems--
            (1) $41,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            (2) $42,250,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
            (3) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations for Near-Term Improvements.--
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator, from 
amounts deposited in the Airport and Airways Trust Fund established 
under section 9502(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to reduce 
the potential for runway incursions through the purchase and 
installation of appropriate automatic equipment, including runway 
occupancy alerting and warning equipment, perimeter taxiways, and 
runway status lights--
            (1) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            (2) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
            (3) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations for Runway Safety Area 
Improvements.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Administrator, from amounts deposited in the Airport and Airway Trust 
Fund established under section 9502(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, to improve runway safety areas to meet Federal Aviation 
Administration standards--
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            (2) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
            (3) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
    (d) Codification of Runway Safety Design Standard Compliance 
Requirement From Public Law 109-115.--Section 44727 is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Runway Safety Design Standard Compliance.--Not later than 
December 31, 2015, the owner or operator of each airport described in 
section 44706(a) shall improve the airport's runway safety areas to 
comply with the Federal Aviation Administration design standards 
required under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.''.
    (e) Annual Report on Runway Safety Area Compliance.--The 
Administrator shall annually submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a 
report that describes the progress of the Administration toward 
improving the runway safety areas at airports described in section 
44706(a) of title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 5. REVIEW OF RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY LIGHTING AND MARKINGS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall--
            (1) review the type of runway and taxiway lighting (both 
        daytime and nighttime configurations) and markings at airports 
        described in section 44706(a) of title 49, United States Code, 
        for compliance with standards issued by the Federal Aviation 
        Administration; and
            (2) identify runways on which nonstandard lighting and 
        markings, including variance in illumination levels and 
        standard colors used on runways and taxiways, may contribute, 
        or may have contributed, to operational errors or incidents.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the completion of the 
review under subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report that--
            (1) describes the variance in lighting conditions and 
        markings at airport runways described in subsection (a);
            (2) identifies those runways that are most likely to 
        contribute to operational errors and incidents; and
            (3) includes a plan for remedying variance in lighting 
        conditions and markings at nonstandard runways, including 
        associated costs.

SEC. 6. MONITORING AND RECORDING EQUIPMENT FOR NAVIGATION AND LIGHTING 
              AIDS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, shall evaluate 
the potential for improving safety and accident investigations through 
the use of systems, including existing technologies, that record and 
enable the archival of the operational status of lighting systems on 
the movement areas of, or that are critical to the safe operations at, 
airports described in section 44706(a) of title 49, United States Code.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report that describes the results of the evaluation 
required under subsection (a).

SEC. 7. AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING STANDARDS.

    (a) Rulemaking Proceeding.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate a 
rulemaking proceeding for the purpose of issuing a proposed and final 
rule that revises the aircraft rescue and firefighting standards under 
part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to improve the 
protection of the traveling public, other persons, aircraft, buildings, 
and the environment from fires and hazardous materials incidents.
    (b) Contents of Proposed and Final Rule.--The proposed and final 
rule to be issued under subsection (a) shall address--
            (1) the mission of aircraft rescue and firefighting 
        personnel, including responsibilities for passenger egress in 
        the context of other Administration requirements;
            (2) the proper level of staffing;
            (3) the timeliness of a response;
            (4) the handling of hazardous materials incidents at 
        airports;
            (5) proper vehicle deployment; and
            (6) the need for equipment modernization.
    (c) Consistency With Voluntary Consensus Standards.--The proposed 
and final rule issued under subsection (a) shall be, to the extent 
practical, consistent with national voluntary consensus standards for 
aircraft rescue and firefighting services at airports.
    (d) Assessments of Potential Impacts.--In the rulemaking proceeding 
initiated under subsection (a), the Administrator shall assess the 
potential impact of any revisions to the firefighting standards on 
airports and air transportation service.
    (e) Inconsistency With Standards.--If the proposed or final rule 
issued under subsection (a) is not consistent with national voluntary 
consensus standards for aircraft rescue and firefighting services at 
airports, the Administrator shall submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget an explanation of the reasons for such inconsistency in 
accordance with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and 
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note; 110 Stat. 783).
    (f) Final Rule.--Not later than 24 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue the final rule 
required by subsection (a).

SEC. 8. IMPROVED DATA COLLECTION ON RUNWAY OVERRUNS.

    The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall--
            (1) collect data, using either existing sources of aircraft 
        operational incidents or a new reporting process, regarding 
        aircraft excursions that do not result in fatalities, injuries, 
        or significant property damage;
            (2) examine the data collected pursuant to paragraph (1) on 
        an ongoing basis; and
            (3) submit an annual report to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives that describes--
                    (A) trends and potential safety risks identified by 
                the data; and
                    (B) actions taken by airports and the Federal 
                Aviation Administration to reduce those risks.