H. R. 1758—502
47124.
Agreements for State and local operation of airport facilities.
47125.
Conveyances of United States Government land.
47126.
Criminal penalties for false statements.
47127.
Ground transportation demonstration projects.
47128.
State block grant pilot program.
47129.
Annual report.
SUBCHAPTER II—SURPLUS PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC AIRPORTS
47151.
Authority to transfer an interest in surplus property.
47152.
Terms of gifts.
47153.
Waiving and adding terms.
SUBCHAPTER I—AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT
§ 47101. Policies
(a) GENERAL.—It is the policy of the United States—
(1) that the safe operation of the airport and airway system
is the highest aviation priority;
(2) that aviation facilities be constructed and operated to
minimize current and projected noise impact on nearby commu-
nities;
(3) to give special emphasis to developing reliever airports;
(4) that appropriate provisions should be made to make
the development and enhancement of cargo hub airports easier;
(5) to encourage the development of transportation systems
that use various modes of transportation in a way that will
serve the States and local communities efficiently and effec-
tively;
(6) that airport development projects under this subchapter
provide for the protection and enhancement of natural resources
and the quality of the environment of the United States;
(7) that airport construction and improvement projects that
increase the capacity of facilities to accommodate passenger
and cargo traffic be undertaken to the maximum feasible extent
so that safety and efficiency increase and delays decrease;
(8) to ensure that nonaviation usage of the navigable air-
space be accommodated but not allowed to decrease the safety
and capacity of the airspace and airport system;
(9) that artificial restrictions on airport capacity—
(A) are not in the public interest;
(B) should be imposed to alleviate air traffic delays
only after other reasonably available and less burdensome
alternatives have been tried; and
(C) should not discriminate unjustly between categories
and classes of aircraft; and
(10) that special emphasis should be placed on converting
appropriate former military air bases to civil use and identifying
and improving additional joint-use facilities.
(b) NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION POLICY.—(1) It is a goal of the
United States to develop a national intermodal transportation sys-
tem that transports passengers and property in an efficient manner.
The future economic direction of the United States depends on
its ability to confront directly the enormous challenges of the global
economy, declining productivity growth, energy vulnerability, air
pollution, and the need to rebuild the infrastructure of the United
States.
(2) United States leadership in the world economy, the expand-
ing wealth of the United States, the competitiveness of the industry
of the United States, the standard of living, and the quality of
life are at stake.
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(3) A national intermodal transportation system is a coordi-
nated, flexible network of diverse but complementary forms of
transportation that transports passengers and property in the most
efficient manner. By reducing transportation costs, these intermodal
systems will enhance the ability of the industry of the United
States to compete in the global marketplace.
(4) All forms of transportation, including aviation and other
transportation systems of the future, will be full partners in the
effort to reduce energy consumption and air pollution while promot-
ing economic development.
(5) An intermodal transportation system consists of transpor-
tation hubs that connect different forms of appropriate transpor-
tation and provides users with the most efficient means of
transportation and with access to commercial centers, business
locations, population centers, and the vast rural areas of the United
States, as well as providing links to other forms of transportation
and to intercity connections.
(6) Intermodality and flexibility are paramount issues in the
process of developing an integrated system that will obtain the
optimum yield of United States resources.
(7) The United States transportation infrastructure must be
reshaped to provide the economic underpinnings for the United
States to compete in the 21st century global economy. The United
States can no longer rely on the sheer size of its economy to
dominate international economic rivals and must recognize fully
that its economy is no longer a separate entity but is part of
the global marketplace. The future economic prosperity of the
United States depends on its ability to compete in an international
marketplace that is teeming with competitors but in which a full
one-quarter of the economic activity of the United States takes
place.
(8) The United States must make a national commitment to
rebuild its infrastructure through development of a national inter-
modal transportation system. The United States must provide the
foundation for its industries to improve productivity and their abil-
ity to compete in the global economy with a system that will
transport passengers and property in an efficient manner.
(c) CAPACITY EXPANSION AND NOISE ABATEMENT.—It is in the
public interest to recognize the effects of airport capacity expansion
projects on aircraft noise. Efforts to increase capacity through any
means 
can 
have 
an 
impact 
on 
surrounding 
communities.
Noncompatible land uses around airports must be reduced and
efforts to mitigate noise must be given a high priority.
(d) CONSISTENCY WITH AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY POLICIES.—
Each airport and airway program should be carried out consistently
with section 40101(a), (b), (d), and (f) of this title to foster competi-
tion, prevent unfair methods of competition in air transportation,
maintain essential air transportation, and prevent unjust and
discriminatory practices, including as the practices may be applied
between categories and classes of aircraft.
(e) ADEQUACY OF NAVIGATION AIDS AND AIRPORT FACILITIES.—
This subchapter should be carried out to provide adequate naviga-
tion aids and airport facilities for places at which scheduled commer-
cial air service is provided. The facilities provided may include—
(1) reliever airports; and
(2) heliports designated by the Secretary of Transportation
to relieve congestion at commercial service airports by diverting
H. R. 1758—504
aircraft passengers from fixed-wing aircraft to helicopter car-
riers.
(f) MAXIMUM USE
OF SAFETY FACILITIES.—This subchapter
should be carried out consistently with a comprehensive airspace
system plan, giving highest priority to commercial service airports,
to maximize the use of safety facilities, including installing, operat-
ing, and maintaining, to the extent possible with available money
and considering other safety needs—
(1) electronic or visual vertical guidance on each runway;
(2) grooving or friction treatment of each primary and
secondary runway;
(3) distance-to-go signs for each primary and secondary
runway;
(4) a precision approach system, a vertical visual guidance
system, and a full approach light system for each primary
runway;
(5) a nonprecision instrument approach for each secondary
runway;
(6) runway end identifier lights on each runway that does
not have an approach light system;
(7) a surface movement radar system at each category
III airport;
(8) a taxiway lighting and sign system;
(9) runway edge lighting and marking; and
(10) radar approach coverage for each airport terminal
area.
(g) COOPERATION.—To carry out the policy of subsection (a)(5)
of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall cooperate
with State and local officials in developing airport plans and pro-
grams that are based on overall transportation needs. The airport
plans and programs shall be developed in coordination with other
transportation planning and considering comprehensive long-range
land-use plans and overall social, economic, environmental, system
performance, and energy conservation objectives. The process of
developing airport plans and programs shall be continuing, coopera-
tive, and comprehensive to the degree appropriate to the complexity
of the transportation problems.
(h) CONSULTATION.—To carry out the policy of subsection (a)(6)
of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall consult with
the Secretary of the Interior and the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency about any project included in a project
grant application involving the location of an airport or runway,
or a major runway extension, that may have a significant effect
on—
(1) natural resources, including fish and wildlife;
(2) natural, scenic, and recreation assets;
(3) water and air quality; or
(4) another factor affecting the environment.
§ 47102. Definitions
In this subchapter—
(1) ‘‘air carrier airport’’ means a public airport regularly
served by—
(A) an air carrier certificated by the Secretary of
Transportation under section 41102 of this title (except
a charter air carrier); or
(B) at least one air carrier—
H. R. 1758—505
(i) operating under an exemption from section
41101(a)(1) of this title that the Secretary grants; and
(ii) having at least 2,500 passenger boardings at
the airport during the prior calendar year.
(2) ‘‘airport’’—
(A) means—
(i) an area of land or water used or intended
to be used for the landing and taking off of aircraft;
(ii) an appurtenant area used or intended to be
used for airport buildings or other airport facilities
or rights of way; and
(iii) airport buildings and facilities located in any
of those areas; and
(B) includes a heliport.
(3) ‘‘airport development’’ means the following activities,
if undertaken by the sponsor, owner, or operator of a public-
use airport:
(A) constructing, repairing, or improving a public-use
airport, including—
(i) removing, lowering, relocating, marking, and
lighting an airport hazard; and
(ii) preparing a plan or specification, including
carrying out a field investigation.
(B) acquiring for, or installing at, a public-use airport—
(i) a navigation aid or another aid (including a
precision approach system) used by aircraft for landing
at or taking off from the airport, including preparing
the site as required by the acquisition or installation;
(ii) safety or security equipment the Secretary
requires by regulation for, or approves as contributing
significantly to, the safety or security of individuals
and property at the airport;
(iii) equipment to remove snow, to measure runway
surface friction, or for aviation-related weather report-
ing;
(iv) firefighting and rescue equipment at an airport
that serves scheduled passenger operations of air car-
rier aircraft designed for more than 20 passenger seats;
(v) aircraft deicing equipment and structures
(except aircraft deicing fluids and storage facilities for
the equipment and fluids); and
(vi) interactive training systems.
(C) acquiring an interest in land or airspace, including
land for future airport development, that is needed—
(i) to carry out airport development described in
subclause (A) or (B) of this clause; or
(ii) to remove or mitigate an existing airport haz-
ard or prevent or limit the creation of a new airport
hazard.
(D) acquiring land for, or constructing, a burn area
training structure on or off the airport to provide live
fire drill training for aircraft rescue and firefighting person-
nel required to receive the training under regulations the
Secretary prescribes, including basic equipment and mini-
mum structures to support the training under standards
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
prescribes.