Sec. 1304. Establishment of public private-partnership program at general aviation airports
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/bill/115/s/1405/rs/section-1304·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Chapter 481 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program that meets the requirements under this section for improving facilities at— general aviation airports; and privately owned airports used or intended to be used for public purposes that do not have scheduled air service. The operator or sponsor of an airport, or the community in which an airport is located, seeking, on behalf of the airport, to participate in the program established under subsection
(a)shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including— an assessment of the needs of the airport for additional or improved hangars, airport businesses, or other facilities; the ability of the airport to leverage private sector investments on the airport or develop public-private partnerships to build or improve facilities at the airport; and if the application is submitted by a community, evidence that the airport supports the application. Not more than 4 airports in the same State may be selected to participate in the program established under subsection
(a)in any fiscal year. Not more than $500,000 shall be made available for any one-time grant to an airport in any fiscal year under the program established under subsection (a). In selecting airports for participation in the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to airports at which— the operator or sponsor of the airport, or the community in which the airport is located— will provide a portion of the cost of the project for which assistance is sought under the program from local sources; will employ best business practices in developing or implementing a public-private partnership; or has established, or will establish, a public-private partnership to build or improve facilities at the airport; or the assistance will be used in a timely fashion. The Secretary may use amounts made available under this section— to provide assistance to market an airport to private entities or individuals in order to leverage private sector investments or develop public-private partnerships for the purposes of building or improving hangars, businesses, or other facilities at the airport; to fund studies that consider what measures an airport should take to attract private sector investment at the airport; or to participate in a partnership described in paragraph
(1)or an investment described in paragraph (2). The Secretary may enter into agreements with airports and entities entering into partnerships with airports under this section to provide assistance under this section. There is authorized to be appropriated, out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2021 to carry out this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this paragraph shall remain available until expended. Amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1)— shall remain available until expended; and shall be in addition to any amounts made available pursuant to section 48103. . The table of contents for chapter 481 is amended by adding at the end the following: 48115. General aviation public-private partnership program. .