An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0778
Committee Amendment CA_A_H193 (House)
Amends: 6 MRSA §17, 6 MRSA §18

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 585, L.D. 778, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the Process of Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program 
Grants" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 and 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 6 MRS A §17, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 678, §30, is amended to 
read: 
1. Development. Aid and assist municipalities and other political subdivisions in the 
development, maintenance and operation of their public airports; 
Sec. 3. 6 MRSA §17, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 678, §30, is repealed. 
Sec. 4. 6 MRSA §18, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 678, §31, is repealed. 
Sec. 5. 6 MRSA §18, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Primary Airport Capital Improvement Grant Program; administration 
approval. The Primary Airport Capital Improvement Grant Program, referred to in this 
subsection as "the state grant program," is established as a discretionary grant program 
administered by the department. The department shall distribute available state grant 
program funds to primary airports for eligible capital improvement projects as determined 
by the department. Funds may also be distributed to an eligible municipality or political 
subdivision of the State for airport equipment that is eligible under the administration's 
airport improvement program. The department shall provide state grant program funds to 
evenly share the local match with the eligible municipality or political subdivision of the 
State for the administration's airport improvement program grant offer and award an 
amount contingent upon the availability of state grant program funds. 
State grant 
program funds.may be distributed only to projects ready for construction that are 
a 
roved b the admiliist:ration as eli ible for state 
ant ro am funds. The de artment 
Sec. 6. 6 MRSA §18, su\b-§3, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 678, §31, is amended to 
read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,. 
~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,It" to H.P. 585, L.D. 778 
3. Federal aid. This State, municipalities and other political subdivisions separately, 
and municipalities and other political subdivisions jointly with one another or with the 
State, are authorized to accept, establish, construct, own, lease, control, equip, improve, 
maintain and operate airports for the use of aircraft within their respective boundaries, or 
without those boundaries with the consent of the municipality or other political 
subdivision where the airport is or is to be located, and may use for the purpose or 
purposes any land suitable and available therefor. 
The State, municipalities and other political subdivisions separately, and municipalities 
and other political subdivisions jointly with one another or with the State, by and through 
their duly constituted representatives, are authorized to apply for and accept federal aid to 
further any purpose related to the development of aeronautics and to do all things 
necessary or incidental thereto, subject to subsection 2 of this section. A request for 
federal aid under the federal Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, 49 United 
States Code, Chapter 471, as amended, made by a municipality or other political 
subdivision in this State for a primary airport project is not required to be approved by the 
commissioner. 
Airports owned and operated by any city, town or county are declared to be governmental 
agencies and entitled to the same immunities as any agency of the State.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes those sections of the bill that require state aid funds for 
airport development projects receiving both federal and state funds under the Federal 
Aviation Administration's airport improvement program to be administered in accordance 
with federal law and allow a municipality or other political subdivision to discuss federal 
aid with the Federal Aviation Administration. 
The amendment provides that the 
Department of Transportation is not responsible for aiding and assisting municipalities 
and other political subdivisions in the maintenance and operation of their public airports. 
The amendment also repeals the requirement in current law that the department aid and 
assist in the repair of, maintenance of and removal of snow from municipal, state and 
county airports. 
This amendment also requires the department to administer the Primary Airport 
Capital Improvement Grant Program, which the amendment establishes. The amendment 
requires the department to distribute available state grant program funds to primary 
airports for eligible capital improvement projects as determined by the department. The 
amendment provides that state grant program funds may also be used for Federal 
Aviation Administration-eligible equipment. The amendment directs the department to 
evenly share the local match with the eligible municipality or other political subdivision 
in this State for the Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement program grant 
offer and award an amount contingent upon the availability of state grant program funds. 
The amendment further provides that airport improvement projects must be approved by 
the Federal Aviation Administration to be eligible for state grant program funds. The 
amendment provides that the department is not responsible for oversight or eligibility of 
airport improvement projects. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 585, L.D. 778 
This amendment also provides that federal aid requests made by municipalities or 
other political subdivisions for primary airport improvement projects are not subject to 
approval by the Commissioner of Transportation. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT