Expanding Regional Airports Act
The Expanding Regional Airports Act would create a new Regional Airport Expansion Program within title 49 of the U.S. Code. Its goal is to provide federal grants to certain smaller airports to increase passenger and flight capacity. Eligible airports can use funds for facilities and infrastructure that boost capacity, such as expanding screening areas, lengthening runways, building hangars, and upgrading passenger facilities, as well as covering costs to meet mandatory operating and security requirements under federal aviation regulations. The program would issue a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 grants each fiscal year, and Congress would authorize $50 million per year for this purpose. Airports must be general aviation or nonprimary commercial service airports that serve communities with populations of at least 75,000, as determined by the FAA.
Key Points
- 1Establishes the Regional Airport Expansion Program as a new Subchapter IV of Chapter 417 in title 49, United States Code, to grant funds to eligible airports to improve capacity.
- 2Eligible uses include expanding screening facilities, extending runways, constructing hangars/infrastructure, upgrading passenger facilities, and covering compliance costs with specified operating and security requirements (under applicable FAA/TSA regulations).
- 3The Secretary of Transportation must award between 3 and 10 grants each fiscal year to eligible airports.
- 4Eligibility criteria specify general aviation airports or nonprimary commercial service airports serving communities with a population of at least 75,000, as determined by the FAA Administrator.
- 5The bill authorizes $50 million in annual funding to carry out the program and adds a technical amendment to place Subchapter IV in the statutory analysis.