[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1055 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1055
To establish an airport infrastructure resilience pilot program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 29, 2023
Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an airport infrastructure resilience pilot program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Airport Infrastructure Resilience
Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) Establishment.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants
to sponsors of airports to incentivize the planning and
design and construction of projects that make
improvements to infrastructure that is subject to, or
that faces increased long-term future risks with
respect to, the following:
(i) Changing conditions, such as sea level
rise or permafrost thaw.
(ii) Weather events and natural disasters,
such as severe storms, flooding, drought, levee
and dam failures, wildfire, rockslides,
mudslides, sea level rise, permafrost thaw,
extreme weather, including extreme temperature,
and earthquakes.
(B) Clarification.--Projects funded under the pilot
program under this section may be for new projects as
well as for making improvements to existing
infrastructure and may include the purchasing of
monitoring equipment or services.
(2) Consultation.--In establishing the pilot program under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
(A) engage in a public comment period; and
(B) consult with--
(i) the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration;
(ii) the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency;
(iii) The Administrator of the National
Oceanic Atmospheric Administration; and
(iv) the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(3) Considerations.--In awarding grants to sponsors under
the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall
consider the following with respect to projects funded under
the grant:
(A) Whether the project is natural infrastructure
or nature-based.
(B) Whether the project is based on the best
available science and engineering standards.
(C) Whether the project will mitigate the airport's
impact on the environment.
(D) Other items determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(4) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
the pilot program under this section, a sponsor of an airport
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require. Such information shall include a description of how
the proposed project is projected to benefit and potentially
impact both the airport and the surrounding communities
regarding changing conditions, weather events, and natural
disasters.
(5) Reports to secretary.--A sponsor of an airport that is
awarded a grant under the pilot program under this section
shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports on the use of
the funds. Such reports shall be submitted at such time, in
such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may
require.
(b) Distribution for Regional Airports.--In conducting the pilot
program under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less
than 15 percent of the funds made available under subsection (e) is
used to award grants to sponsors of regional airports.
(c) Federal Share.--The United States Government's share of
allowable project costs for a project carried out with a grant under
the pilot program shall be the United States Government's share of
allowable project costs specified under section 47109 of title 49,
United States Code.
(d) Requirements.--The construction work for a project funded with
grant under the pilot program shall be subject to the requirements
under section 47112 of title 49, United States Code.
(e) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the
Secretary first awards a grant under the pilot program under
this section, and annually thereafter for as long as the
Secretary is conducting the pilot program under this section,
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Environment
and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives a report that evaluates the pilot program
established under this section. Each such report shall
include--
(A) a description of each project funded under the
program, including the changing condition or weather
event or natural disasters the project is addressing;
(B) a description of the applications under the
program;
(C) recommendations to improve the administration
of the program, including whether assistance from
additional or fewer agencies to carry out the program
is appropriate;
(D) a description of the period required to
disburse grant funds to sponsors based on applicable
Federal coordination requirements;
(E) a description of the facilities that repeatedly
require repair or reconstruction due to weather events
and natural disasters (as described in subsection (a));
and
(F) other items determined appropriate by the
Secretary.
(2) Public availability.--The Secretary shall post each
report submitted under paragraph (1) on the public internet
website of the Department of Transportation.
(f) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary $300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to
carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until
expended.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Airport.--The term ``airport'' has the meaning given
that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.
(2) Regional airport.--The term ``regional airport'' means
a small hub airport, a nonhub airport, a nonprimary airport,
and a reliever airport (as such terms are dined in section
47102 of title 49, United States Code).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
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