Airport Infrastructure Resilience Act of 2023

Subjects: Transportation and Public Works, Aviation and airports, Climate change and greenhouse gases, Congressional oversight, Government information and archives, Government studies and investigations, Transportation safety and security


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1055 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1055

    To establish an airport infrastructure resilience pilot program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 29, 2023

  Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To establish an airport infrastructure resilience pilot program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Airport Infrastructure Resilience 
Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) Establishment.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
                establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants 
                to sponsors of airports to incentivize the planning and 
                design and construction of projects that make 
                improvements to infrastructure that is subject to, or 
                that faces increased long-term future risks with 
                respect to, the following:
                            (i) Changing conditions, such as sea level 
                        rise or permafrost thaw.
                            (ii) Weather events and natural disasters, 
                        such as severe storms, flooding, drought, levee 
                        and dam failures, wildfire, rockslides, 
                        mudslides, sea level rise, permafrost thaw, 
                        extreme weather, including extreme temperature, 
                        and earthquakes.
                    (B) Clarification.--Projects funded under the pilot 
                program under this section may be for new projects as 
                well as for making improvements to existing 
                infrastructure and may include the purchasing of 
                monitoring equipment or services.
            (2) Consultation.--In establishing the pilot program under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) engage in a public comment period; and
                    (B) consult with--
                            (i) the Administrator of the Federal 
                        Aviation Administration;
                            (ii) the Administrator of the Federal 
                        Emergency Management Agency;
                            (iii) The Administrator of the National 
                        Oceanic Atmospheric Administration; and
                            (iv) the Administrator of the National 
                        Aeronautics and Space Administration.
            (3) Considerations.--In awarding grants to sponsors under 
        the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall 
        consider the following with respect to projects funded under 
        the grant:
                    (A) Whether the project is natural infrastructure 
                or nature-based.
                    (B) Whether the project is based on the best 
                available science and engineering standards.
                    (C) Whether the project will mitigate the airport's 
                impact on the environment.
                    (D) Other items determined appropriate by the 
                Secretary.
            (4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        the pilot program under this section, a sponsor of an airport 
        shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
        such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require. Such information shall include a description of how 
        the proposed project is projected to benefit and potentially 
        impact both the airport and the surrounding communities 
        regarding changing conditions, weather events, and natural 
        disasters.
            (5) Reports to secretary.--A sponsor of an airport that is 
        awarded a grant under the pilot program under this section 
        shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports on the use of 
        the funds. Such reports shall be submitted at such time, in 
        such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
    (b) Distribution for Regional Airports.--In conducting the pilot 
program under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less 
than 15 percent of the funds made available under subsection (e) is 
used to award grants to sponsors of regional airports.
    (c) Federal Share.--The United States Government's share of 
allowable project costs for a project carried out with a grant under 
the pilot program shall be the United States Government's share of 
allowable project costs specified under section 47109 of title 49, 
United States Code.
    (d) Requirements.--The construction work for a project funded with 
grant under the pilot program shall be subject to the requirements 
under section 47112 of title 49, United States Code.
    (e) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        Secretary first awards a grant under the pilot program under 
        this section, and annually thereafter for as long as the 
        Secretary is conducting the pilot program under this section, 
        the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Environment 
        and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report that evaluates the pilot program 
        established under this section. Each such report shall 
        include--
                    (A) a description of each project funded under the 
                program, including the changing condition or weather 
                event or natural disasters the project is addressing;
                    (B) a description of the applications under the 
                program;
                    (C) recommendations to improve the administration 
                of the program, including whether assistance from 
                additional or fewer agencies to carry out the program 
                is appropriate;
                    (D) a description of the period required to 
                disburse grant funds to sponsors based on applicable 
                Federal coordination requirements;
                    (E) a description of the facilities that repeatedly 
                require repair or reconstruction due to weather events 
                and natural disasters (as described in subsection (a)); 
                and
                    (F) other items determined appropriate by the 
                Secretary.
            (2) Public availability.--The Secretary shall post each 
        report submitted under paragraph (1) on the public internet 
        website of the Department of Transportation.
    (f) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary $300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until 
expended.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Airport.--The term ``airport'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.
            (2) Regional airport.--The term ``regional airport'' means 
        a small hub airport, a nonhub airport, a nonprimary airport, 
        and a reliever airport (as such terms are dined in section 
        47102 of title 49, United States Code).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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