Sec. 158. Environmental mitigation pilot program
482 words·~2 min read·
/bill/115/hr/4/eh/section-158A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out a pilot program involving not more than 6 projects at public-use airports in accordance with this section. In carrying out the program, the Secretary may make grants to sponsors of public-use airports from funds apportioned under section 47117(e)(1)(A) of title 49, United States Code. Amounts from a grant received by the sponsor of a public-use airport under the program shall be used for environmental mitigation projects that will measurably reduce or mitigate aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at the airport or within 5 miles of the airport.
Notwithstanding any other provision of chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, an environmental mitigation project approved under this section shall be treated as eligible for assistance under that chapter. In selecting from among applicants for participation in the program, the Secretary may give priority consideration to projects that— will achieve the greatest reductions in aircraft noise, airport emissions, or airport water quality impacts either on an absolute basis or on a per dollar of funds expended basis; and will be implemented by an eligible consortium.
The Federal share of the cost of a project carried out under the program shall be 50 percent. Not more than $2,500,000 may be made available by the Secretary in grants under the program for any single project. The Secretary may establish and publish information identifying best practices for reducing or mitigating aviation impacts on noise, air quality, and water quality at airports or in the vicinity of airports based on the projects carried out under the program. The program shall terminate 5 years after the Secretary makes the first grant under the program.
In this section, the following definitions apply: The term eligible consortium means a consortium that is comprised of 2 or more of the following entities: Businesses incorporated in the United States. Public or private educational or research organizations located in the United States. Entities of State or local governments in the United States. Federal laboratories. The term environmental mitigation project means a project that— introduces new environmental mitigation techniques or technologies that have been proven in laboratory demonstrations; proposes methods for efficient adaptation or integration of new concepts into airport operations; and will demonstrate whether new techniques or technologies for environmental mitigation are— practical to implement at or near multiple public-use airports; and capable of reducing noise, airport emissions, or water quality impacts in measurably significant amounts.
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may accept funds from the Secretary of Defense to increase the authorized funding for this section by the amount of such transfer only to carry out projects designed for environmental mitigation at a site previously, but not currently, managed by the Department of Defense. If additional funds are made available by the Secretary of Defense under paragraph (1), the Administrator may increase the number of grantees under subsection (a).