[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 146 (Monday, July 29, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39499-39500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19105]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. 28495]


Airport Financial Reports

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

ACTION: Extension of filing deadline.

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SUMMARY: On March 18, 1996, the FAA published in the Federal Register a 
notice of availability of formats for the preparation of filing of two 
financial reports required from sponsors of federally assisted 
airports. The notice also requested comments on those formats. The 
reports are required from airport sponsors under the FY 1994 FAA 
Authorization Act. The first report requires sponsors of federally 
assisted airports to report to the Department of Transportation amounts 
paid and services provided to other units of government. The second 
requires that the sponsor of each commercial service airport report in 
detail the total revenue and expenditures at the airport, including 
revenue surplus. The March 18 notice stated that the reports were 
required within 60 days of the end of the sponsor's fiscal year. In 
consideration of comments received, and in order to complete work on 
final reporting formats and instructions for completing the forms, the 
FAA is extending the filing date for the reports. Until further notice 
is published in the Federal Register, the reports must be filed within 
120 days of the end of a sponsor's fiscal year. The FAA will issue 
further guidance on the filing of this information as soon as possible.

DATES: Airport financial reports described in the notice published 
March 18, 1996, are due from airport sponsors on the 120th day 
following the end of the sponsor's fiscal year, beginning the first 
fiscal year ending after the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the report formats and instructions for completing 
the reports are available from the persons listed under ``For Further 
Information Contact,'' and may also be downloaded via internet from the 
Office of the Associate Administrator for Airports World Wide Web site 
at: http:/www.faa.gov/arp/arphome.htm.
    Reports must be submitted to the airport sponsor's Airports 
District Office and to: Airport Safety and Compliance Branch, AAS-310, 
ATTN: AIRPORT FINANCIAL REPORTS, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20591.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Benedict D. Castellano, Manager, Airport Safety and Compliance Branch, 
AAS-310, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-8728; or Ellis Ohnstad, 
Manager, Airports Program Guidance Branch, APP-510, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, 
telephone (202) 267-3831.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The requirement for filing of two new 
airport financial reports is published pursuant to section 111 of the 
Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 
103-305 (August 23, 1994) (1994 Authorization Act). That section 
requires the Secretary, through a new grant assurance and through 
establishment of a new report format, to require two new reports 
relating to airport revenue. Those reports are described in detail in 
the notice published March 18, 1996 (61 FR 11077).
    The March 18 notice established specific procedures and filing 
times for the reports, but also requested public comment on the 
procedures. The Comment period closed May 2, 1996. Comments received on 
the notice will be addressed in the final version of the reporting 
format and instructions to be published as soon as the FAA completes 
its review of the comments received.
    In the March 18 notice, the FAA expressed the intention to issue 
final guidance before June 30, 1996, in consideration of the number of 
local governments with a fiscal year ending on that date. Reports were 
to be filed within 60 days after the end of a sponsor's fiscal year. 
Many of the commenters expressed problems with the 60-day reporting 
period, however, based on the fact that audited numbers for the fiscal 
year are frequently not available within 60 days after the end of that 
year. Because we believes it is important to have audited information 
for the filing of the required reports, the FAA is contacting affected 
sponsors to obtain information on the fiscal year and the availability 
of audited information at each airport subject to the reporting 
requirement.
    In order to permit time to obtain this additional information and 
to complete work on the final reporting format and instructions, and in 
the meantime to avoid the filing of reports not based on audited 
financial data, the FAA is temporarily extending the time in which 
reports are due.
    Effective immediately, and until further notice is published in the 
Federal Register, the two required reports are due within 120 days of 
the end of an airport's fiscal year. The 120-day filing period does not 
represent a final agency decision on the issue. Some airport operators 
commented that audited numbers for their airports were not available 
for as long as 180 days after the end of the fiscal year. All such 
comments will be considered before the

[[Page 39500]]

adoption of a final filing procedure, and the requirement may be 
changed in the final reporting instructions to be issued. Al other 
filing requirements set forth in the March 18 notice remain in effect 
pending issuance of final instructions.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 19, 1996.
Susan L. Kurland,
Associate Administrator for Airports.
[FR Doc. 96-19105 Filed 7-26-96; 8:45 am]
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