[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54560-54562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26353]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Opportunity To Participate, Criteria Requirements and 
Change of Application Procedure for Participation in the Fiscal Year 
1996 Military Airport Program (MAP)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation 
(DOT).

ACTION: Notice of criteria for application for designation, continued 
participation, in the Fiscal Year 1996 Military Airport Program.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the revised criteria, application 
procedures and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of 
Transportation in designating additional airports for participation in 
the 1996 Military Airport Program (MAP). Airports must be current or 
former military airfields to qualify. Airports will be designated in 
part based on their ability to relieve congested airports having 20,000 
hours or more of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoff 
and landings. Further, currently designated airports, with fewer than 
five years in the MAP, requesting to continue in the program, must 
submit a current 5-year capital improvement plan which identifies 
conversion-related and capacity-related projects. Currently the MAP 
does not extend beyond 1996. This notice responds to 49 U.S.C. 47118, 
as amended by Section 116 of Public Law 103-305 (August 23, 1994).

DATES: Airport sponsors should address written applications for 
designation, or continued participation, in the fiscal year 1996 
Military Airport Program to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
regional Airports Division or Airports District Office that serves the 
airport. Applications must be received by that office of the FAA on or 
before January 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and two copies of Standard Form 424, 
``Application for Federal Assistance,'' and supporting and justifying 
documentation, specifically requesting to be considered for designation 
to participate, or continue, in the fiscal year 1996 Military Airport 
Program, to the Regional FAA Airports Division or Airports District 
Office that serves the airport.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. James V. Mottley or Leonard C. Sandelli, Military Airport Program 
Office (APP-4), Office of Airport Planning and Programming, Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20591, (202) 267-8780, or (202) 267-8785, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces a change in the 
application process and criteria to be applied by the Secretary of 
Transportation in designating additional military airports for 
participation in the military airport grant program. These airports 
must be current or former military airports. This notice also announces 
a change in the procedure for the continued participation of previously 
designated airports which have participated less than five years in the 
MAP. This program is established under 49 U.S.C. Section 47118, as 
amended by Section 116 of Public Law 103-305 (August 23, 1994). The 
Secretary shall allocate at least 2.5% of the Airport Improvement 
Program grant funds available to airports designated under the 1996 
MAP. Further, airports designated to participate in the MAP in 1992 or 
thereafter are required to submit a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan to 
continue in the 1996 MAP. The airport must specifically identify 
conversion and capacity related projects that the sponsor intends to 
fund under the MAP as indicated in the application procedures below.
    Since Congress has authorized selection of three new airports and 
seven will graduate from the program, a total of 10 new airports can 
participate in the FY 1996 program. There are currently five designated 
airports with less than five years in the MAP that can continue in the 
program. Five years is the maximum period of eligibility for any 
airport to participate in the MAP. As of August 23, 1994, Congress 
amended 49 U.S.C. 47118 to eliminate the provision for discretionary 
extension of the five year period of eligibility for airports that do 
not have a level of passenger emplanements to qualify as a small hub 
airport. See, Section 116 of Public Law 103-305.
    Sponsors of all airports for which participation in the 1996 MAP is 
sought must respond to this notice and submit a Standard Form 424, 
``Application for Federal Assistance,'' as well as supporting and 
justifying documentation as required by this notice. This procedure 
conforms with FAA procedures for administering the Airport Improvement 
Program (AIP), the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 47118, as amended by 
Section 116 of Public Law 103-305 (August 23, 1994), and certain 
recommendations made by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in its 
Report B-256001 (1994), entitled ``The Military Airport Program Has Not 
Achieved Intended Impact.''
    For new candidates, the Secretary shall consider the extent to 
which conversion and/or development of the current or former military 
airport, in whole or in part, as a civilian commercial service or 
reliever airport in the national air transportation system would 
enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in major 
metropolitan areas and reduce current and projected flight delays.

[[Page 54561]]

    Only if the Secretary finds that the grants for projects at an 
airport would reduce delays at an airport with more than 20,000 hours 
of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoff and landings 
will a candidate be eligible for inclusion in the MAP.
    All airports, including previously designated airports with less 
than five years in the MAP, must submit current 5-year capital 
improvement plans to be considered for fiscal year 1996 funding under 
MAP as outlined in the application procedures below. The 5-year program 
must be part of the airport's total capital improvement plan, and 
specifically identify conversion related and capacity related projects 
which will be considered for funding as MAP eligible projects.
    Once the identified conversion and capacity projects have been 
funded, the FAA intends to evaluate the need for any further MAP 
funding at the airport. Airports graduating from the MAP will allow 
other airports to participate in the MAP. As discussed above, Congress 
has limited the maximum period for any airport to participate in the 
program to five years.
    The FAA will also be evaluating the continued eligibility of the 
current five MAP participants for future grant funding based on the 
required five year capital improvement plans and criteria established 
in prior notices. As noted above, the five year graduation requirement 
applies to all MAP participants in the future. The FAA will also 
consider newly closed military airfields as they become eligible to 
participate.
    The application procedure for implementing the 1996 MAP has been 
changed from one of inviting expressions of interest of one of 
requesting the submittal of the Standard Form 424, ``Application for 
Federal Assistance,'' along with supporting documentation to respond to 
the qualifications and evaluation criteria. This procedure is being 
adopted to conform the MAP to the standard AIP grant-in-aid procedure 
to provide the necessary information to select candidate airports for 
the program.
    In making new airport designations, the Secretary will consider the 
following criteria:
    (1) The Secretary of Transportation must issue a finding that the 
airport and grants issued for projects at an airport new to the 
Military Airport Program would reduce delays at an airport with more 
than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft 
takeoffs and landings. Airports with 20,000 or more hours of delay and 
their associated metropolitan areas are identified in the FAA's 
Aviation Capacity Enhancement Plan. DOT/FAA, Office of System Capacity, 
1994 Aviation Capacity Enhancement Plan, Report No. DOT/FAA/ASC-94-1.
    (2) The analysis, supporting data, and justification to support 
this finding is extremely important and must be contained in the 
application. The analysis should include factors about the candidate 
airport and the congested airport(s), if not the same, such as 
compatibility of airport roles; the capability of the candidate airport 
and its airside and landside complex to serve aircraft that otherwise 
must use the relieved airport; ground surface access; airport 
operational capability, including peak hour and annual throughput 
capacities of the candidate airport; potential of other metropolitan 
area airports to relieve the congested airport; ability to satisfy or 
meet air cargo demand within the metropolitan area; forecasted aircraft 
and passenger levels; type of air carrier service anticipated, i.e., 
scheduled and/or charter air carrier service; type of aircraft 
projected to serve the airport and level of operation at the relieved 
airport and the candidate airport; the potential for the candidate 
airport to be served by aircraft or users, including the airlines; 
serving the congested airport; and any other substantial documentation 
to support the Secretary's designation of the new airport.

Application Procedures

    Airport sponsors applying for consideration for inclusion (``New 
Airports'') or continuation in the MAP (``Current Airports Applying for 
Continuation'') must complete a Standard Form 424, ``Application for 
Federal Assistance,'' and submit documentation to the appropriate FAA 
office as outlined below. Each sponsor must specifically state in the 
Standard Form 424, or in its transmittal, that the airport is applying 
in response to this notice for consideration as a candidate for the MAP 
or, if designated in 1992 or thereafter, that the airport is applying 
as a continuing participant in the MAP. The additional information and 
data required to support the MAP criteria must be attached to the 
Application.

Information To Be Contained in Application

New Airports

    A. Qualifications for new candidates:
    (1) Submit an Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 
424, along with the documentation and justification indicated below to 
request designation by the Secretary to participate in the Military 
Airport Program.
    (2) Documentation that the airport meets the definition of a 
``public airport'' as defined in 49 U.S.C. Section 47102(16).
    (3) Documentation that the required environmental review process 
for civil or joint-use of the military airfield has been completed. 
(This is not the environmental review for the projects under this 
program, but the environmental review necessary for title transfer, a 
long term lease, or a joint use agreement.)
    (4) In the case of a former military airport, documentation that 
the local or State airport sponsor holds satisfactory title, or a long 
term lease for 20 years or more, to the property on which the civil 
airport is being located. In the case of a current military airport, 
documentation that the airport sponsor has an existing joint-use 
agreement with the military department having jurisdiction over the 
airport. (The title transfer, lease, or joint use agreement must be 
effective on or before January 15, 1996. This is necessary so the FAA 
can legally issue grants to the sponsor.)
    (5) Documentation that the airport is a ``commercial service 
airport'' or a ``reliever airport'' as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102 (7) 
and 47102 (18), respectively, and is included in the current National 
Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.
    (6) Documentation that the airport has an eligible airport 
``sponsor'' as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102 (19).
    (7) Documentation that the airport has an approved airport layout 
plan (ALP) and a five year capital improvement plan indicating all 
eligible grant projects either to be funded from the MAP or other 
portions of the Airport Improvement Program. The five year plan must 
also specifically identify the capacity and conversion related 
projects, associated costs and projected five year schedule of project 
construction, including those requested for consideration for 1996 MAP 
funding.
    B. Candidates requesting new designation under the program must 
submit the following documentation:
    (1) Information identifying the existing and potential levels of 
visual or instrument operations and aeronautical activity at the 
current or former military airport and the relieved airport. If served 
by commercial air carriers, the revenue passenger and cargo levels 
should be provided.
    (2) A description of the projected civil role and development needs 
for transitioning from use as a military airfield to a civil airport, 
as appropriate, 

[[Page 54562]]
and how development projects would reduce delays at an airport with 
more than 20,000 hours of annual delay in commercial passenger aircraft 
takeoffs and landings.
    (3) A description of the existing airspace capacity. Describe how 
anticipated new operations would affect the surrounding airspace and 
air traffic flow patterns in the metropolitan area in or near which a 
current or former military airport is located. Include a discussion of 
the degree to which operations at this airport create airspace 
conflicts that may cause congestion or whether air traffic works into 
the flow of other air traffic in the area.
    (4) A description of the five year capital improvement plan, 
including a discussion of major projects, their priorities, projected 
schedule for project accomplishment, and estimated costs. Capacity 
related, and/or conversion related projects should be specifically 
identified, especially those that the airport sponsor proposes to fund 
under the MAP. A copy of the plan should also be submitted.
    (5) A description of projects that are consistent with the role of 
the airport and effectively contribute to converting the airfield to a 
civil airport. Projects can be related to various improvement 
categories depending on the need to convert from military to civil 
airport use, to meet required civil airport standards, and/or required 
to provide capacity to the airport and/or airport system. The projects 
selected, i.e., conversion-related, and capacity-related, must be 
identified and fully explained based on the airport's planned use. The 
sponsor needs to submit the airport layout plan (ALP) and the maps or 
charts that clearly identify and help clarify the eligible projects and 
designate them as conversion-related or capacity-related. It should be 
cross referenced with the project costs and project descriptions. 
Projects that could be eligible under MAP if needed for conversion-
related or capacity-related purposes include:
    Airside:
     Modification of airport or military airfield or airport 
pavements (including widths), marking lighting, pavement strengthening, 
and imaginary surface standards to meet civil standards.
     Facilities or support facilities such as passenger 
terminal gates, aprons for passenger terminals, taxiways to new 
terminal facilities, aircraft parking, and cargo facilities to 
accommodate civil use.
     Modification of airport or military utilities (electrical 
distribution systems, communications lines, water, sewer, drainage) to 
meet civil standards. Also, modifications that allow civil airport 
utilities to operate independently if other portions of the base are 
severed from the airport. (This is important where portions of the base 
are being transferred to an entity different from the airport sponsor.)
     Purchase, rehabilitation, or modification of airport and 
support facilities, including aircraft rescue and fire fighting 
buildings and equipment, airport security requirements, lighting 
vaults, and reconfiguration or relocation of buildings for more 
efficient civil airport operations, snow removal equipment.
     Modification of airport or military airfield fuel systems 
and fuel farms to accommodate civil aviation activities.
     Acquisition of additional land for runway protection 
zones, other approach protection, or airport development.
    Landside:
     Construction of surface parking areas and access roads to 
accommodate automobiles in the airport terminal area and provide an 
adequate level of access to the airport.
     Construction or relocation of access roads to provide 
efficient and convenient ingress and egress to the airport and surface 
vehicular flows on the airport, including access to passenger, air 
cargo, fixed base operations, and aircraft maintenance areas.
     Modification or construction of facilities such as 
passenger terminals, surface automobile parking, and access to cargo 
facilities to accommodate civil use.
    (6) An evaluation of the ability of surface transportation 
facilities (road, rail, high speed rail, maritime) to provide 
intermodal connections.
    (7) A description of the type and level of aviation and community 
interest in the civil use of a current or former military airport.
    (8) One copy of the FAA approved ALP for each copy of the 
application. The ALP or supporting information should clearly show 
capacity and conversion related projects. Also, other information such 
as project costs, schedule, project justification, other maps and 
drawings showing the project locations, and any other supporting 
documentation that would make the application easier to understand 
should be included.

Current airports applying for continuation

     Airports with less than 5 years in the MAP need to submit 
the following in order to respond to this notice and remain in the 
program.
    (1) An Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form 424, along 
with the documentation and justification indicated below to request 
participation in the Military Airport Program. Identify the airport as 
one with less than five years in the MAP applying for continuation.
    (2) Identify the existing and potential levels of visual or 
instrument operations and aeronautical activity at the current or 
former military airport and the relieved airport.
    (3) Provide a detailed discussion of the projected civil role and 
continuing development needs for converting a military airfield to a 
civil airport, and/or how development projects would reduce delays at 
an airport with more than 20,000 hours of annual delay in commercial 
passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings.
    (4) Describe the five year capital improvement plan, including a 
discussion of major projects, their priorities, projected schedule for 
project accomplishment, and estimated costs, annotated and identified 
as capacity related, and/or conversion related purposes.
    (5) Submit one copy of the FAA approved ALP for each copy of the 
application, as approved. The ALP should clearly show the capital 
improvement plan projects. Also include any other information or 
drawings that would show and/or clarify the five year plan identifying 
capacity, and conversion related projects, associated costs, schedule, 
and project justification.
    This notice is issues pursuant to section 49 U.S.C. 47118.

    Issued at Washington, DC, on October 16, 1995.
Paul L. Galis,
Director, Office of Airport Planning and Programming.
[FR Doc. 95-26353 Filed 10-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M