[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39296-39299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19234]


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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 
1997 Military Airport Program (MAP)

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

ACTION: Notice of criteria for application and designation, 
redesignation, or continued participation, in the Fiscal Year 1997 
Military Airport Program (MAP).

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the criteria, application procedures and 
schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in 
designating, redesignating, and funding capital development for up to 
12 airports in the 1997 MAP.
    The 1997 MAP allows the Secretary to consider current or former 
military airports: (1) that were realigned or closed under Base 
Realignment and Closure (BRAC) procedures or 10 USC 2687 (property 
normally reported to the General Services Administration for disposal); 
or (2) at which grants would reduce delays at airports that have 20,000 
hours of annual delay in passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings; or 
(3) which will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity 
in a metropolitan area.

DATES: Airport sponsors should address written applications for 
designation, redesignation, or continued participation, in the fiscal 
year 1997 MAP to the FAA regional Airports Division or Airports 
District Office that serves the airport. Applications must be received 
by that office of the FAA within 20 days after the date this notice is 
published in the Federal Register.

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 1997 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 (APP-4), Office of Airport Planning 
and Programming, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 800 
Independence Avenue, SW.,

[[Page 39297]]

Washington, DC. 20591, (202) 267-8780, or (202) 267-8785, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    General Description of the Program: The Military Airport Program is 
a 4% funding set aside of the discretionary portion of the Airport 
Improvement Program for projects at current or former military airports 
to assist in converting them to civil use and to have them contribute 
to capacity of the national air transportation system and/or reduce 
congestion at congested airports.
    Number of Airports: A maximum of 12 airports can participate in the 
1997 MAP. There are eight airports currently designated and the 
Secretary can designate up to four more.
    Amount of MAP funds: The Secretary of Transportation shall allocate 
at least 4.0% of the Discretionary Airport Improvement Program grant 
funds available to airports designated under the 1997 MAP. For 1997 
this amount is $18,512,311.
    Term of designation: Five years is the maximum period of 
eligibility for any airport to participate in the MAP unless an airport 
sponsor applies for and is selected for redesignation.
    Reapplication: Section 124 of the 1996 Federal Aviation 
Reauthorization Act of 1996 permits previously designated airports to 
apply for an additional five year period if the airport has 
satisfactory MAP eligible projects and continues to satisfy the 
designation criteria for the MAP.
    Eligible Projects: In addition to other eligible AIP projects, 
terminals, fuel farms, utility systems and parking lots and hangars are 
eligible to be funded from the MAP.
    New Designation Considerations: In making designations of new 
candidate airports, the Secretary of Transportation will consider the 
following general requirements:
    1. The airport is a Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) 
or 10 USC 2687 closure or realignment, classified as a commercial 
service or reliever airport in the National Plan of Integrated Airport 
Systems (NPIAS); or
    2. The airport and grants issued for projects at the airport 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, 1996 Aviation Capacity Enhancement 
Plan, Report No. DOT/FAA/ASC-96 1.; or
    3. The airport would enhance airport and air traffic control system 
capacity in a metropolitan area or reduce current or projected flight 
delays.
    The application will be evaluated on how the proposed airport and 
associated projects would make these contributions to conversion and 
congestion relief and/or how the airport would enhance air traffic or 
airport system capacity.
    Project Evaluation: The FAA will evaluate the need for the projects 
in the candidate airport's five year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), 
whether these projects are related to conversion or capacity of that 
airport or the airport and/or air traffic system. It is the intent of 
the Secretary of Transportation to fund those airports that have the 
greatest conversion needs and/or where the benefits to the capacity of 
the air traffic control or airport system can be maximized, or the 
contribution to reducing congestion can be maximized. Generally, the 
recently approved BRAC or Title 10 Section 2678 closing or realigned 
bases or active bases with new joint use agreements will be the 
locations with the greatest conversion needs.
    1. The FAA will evaluate the candidate airports and/or the airports 
such candidates would relieve, based on the following factors:
     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;
     Landside 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;
     Ability to replace an existing commercial service or 
reliever airport serving the area; and
     Any other documentation to support the FAA designation of 
the new airport.
    2. The FAA will evaluate the conversion and capacity related needs 
which, if funded would make the airport a more viable civil airport.
    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), the 
Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996, 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.''

Application Procedures

    Airport sponsors applying for consideration for inclusion (``New 
Airports'' or ``Redesignation'') 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: (1) applying in response to this notice for 
consideration as a candidate for the MAP; (2) if designated in 1993 or 
thereafter, that the airport is applying as a continuing participant in 
the MAP; or (3) applying for resignation. The additional information 
and data required to support the MAP criteria must be attached to the 
Application.

Application Procedures and Required Documentation

New Candidate Airports

    A. Qualifications for additional 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 of Transportation to participate in the Military 
Airport Program. This should identify the airport as either a current 
or former military airport and identify whether it was closed or 
realigned under Public Law 100-526, Public Law 101-510 (Installations 
approved for closure by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure 
Commissions), 10 U.S.C. 2687 (bases closed by DOD and reported to the 
General Services Administration) or a joint use of an active military 
airfield.
    (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

[[Page 39298]]

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). The environmental reviews and approvals must 
indicate that the airport would be able to receive grants during the 
five years in the program.
    (4) In the case of a former military airport, documentation that 
the local or State airport sponsor holds or will hold 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. This is necessary so the FAA can legally 
issue grants to the sponsor.
    (5) Documentation that the service level the airport is expected to 
provide 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 1997 MAP 
funding.
    (8) 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. Also, if 
applicable, information on how the airport contributes to air traffic 
system or airport system capacity. If served by commercial air 
carriers, the revenue passenger and cargo levels should be provided.
    (9) A description of the projected civil role and development needs 
for transitioning from use as a military airfield to a civil airport, 
as appropriate, and how development projects would serve to convert the 
airport to civil use and/or reduce delays at an airport with more than 
20,000 hours of annual delay in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs 
and landings and/or how the projects would contribute to the airport 
and air traffic control system capacity in a metropolitan area or 
reduce current or projected flight delays.
    (10) 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 level 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.
    (11) A description of the five year capital improvement plan (CIP), 
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 CIP should also be submitted.
    (12) 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 other 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 movement of vehicular traffic to, on and from 
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, hangars, and access to 
cargo facilities to accommodate civil use.
    (13) An evaluation of the ability of surface transportation 
facilities (road, rail, high speed rail, maritime) to provide 
intermodal connections.
    (14) A description of the type and level of aviation and community 
interest in the civil use of a current or former military airport.
    (15) 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

    B. 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

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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, if applicable.
    (4) Describe the five year CIP, 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. The ALP should clearly show the CIP 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.
    Airports that have already submitted this information for the 1996 
Military Airport Program and have been continued only need to submit 
updated information and changes in order to continue receiving grants 
under this program.

Redesignation of Airports Previously Designated and Applying for 
Another Five Year Term in the Program

    C. Airports applying for another five years in the Military Airport 
Program need to submit the information required by new candidate 
airports applying for a new designation.
    This notice is issued pursuant to section 49 U.S.C. 47118.

    Issued at Washington, DC, on July 12, 1997.
Paul L. Galis,
Director, Office of Airport Planning and Programming.
[FR Doc. 97-19234 Filed 7-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P