Natural Hazard Resilience for Airports Act of 2023

To amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure certain projects related to natural hazards and emergency management are eligible for funding under the Federal Aviation Administration's airport improvement program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Natural Hazard Resilience for Airports Act of 2023 2. Ensuring that certain projects related to natural hazards and emergency management are eligible for funding under the Federal Aviation Administration's airport improvement program (a) Intermodal planning Section 47101(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), in the second sentence, by inserting (including long-term resilience from the impact of natural hazards and severe weather events) environmental (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking and (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (E) consider the impact of hazardous weather events on long-term operational resilience. . (b) Definition of airport development Section 47102(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: (S) improvements, supported by planning or resiliency studies, or planning for improvements, of primary runways, taxiways, and aprons necessary at an airport to increase operational resilience to prepare the airport for resuming or maintaining flight operations in the event of an earthquake, flooding, high water, sea level rise, a hurricane, a tropical storm, a cyclone, storm surge, a tidal wave, a tornado, a tsunami, wind driven water, wildfire, land instability, or a winter storm. (T) (i) in the case of an airport that meets each of the requirements described in clause (ii)— (I) planning for disaster preparedness associated with maintaining airport operations during a natural disaster; (II) acquiring airport communication equipment and fixed emergency generators that are not eligible for funding under programs funded under the Department of Homeland Security; and (III) constructing, expanding, or improving airfield infrastructure to include aprons and terminal buildings the Secretary of Transportation determines will facilitate disaster response at the airport. (ii) The requirements described in this clause are the following: (I) The airport and the facilities and fixed-based operators on, or connected with, the airport are operated and maintained in a manner the Secretary of Transportation considers suitable for disaster relief. An airport shall not be considered as failing to meet the requirement under the preceding sentence if a runway is unusable because the runway is under scheduled maintenance or is in need of necessary repairs. (II) The airport has developed an emergency natural disaster management plan in coordination with State and local officials. .

Summary: Natural Hazard Resilience for Airports Act of 2023 This bill expands the eligible uses for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to include projects related to severe weather or natural disasters. Specifically, the bill makes AIP grants available for the improvement of primary runways, taxiways, and aprons to prepare an airport for resuming or maintaining flight operations in the event of weather events or natural disasters such as an earthquake, flooding, sea level rise, a hurricane, storm surge, a tornado, a wildfire, land instability, or a winter storm. In addition, the bill makes AIP grants available to qualifying airports for (1) planning for disaster preparedness associated with maintaining airport operations during a natural disaster; (2) acquiring airport communication equipment and fixed emergency generators; and (3) constructing, expanding, or improving airfield infrastructure that will facilitate an airport's disaster response.