[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 77 (Monday, April 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 19614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9775]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. OST-2001-9849]


Notice of Market-based Actions to Relieve Airport Congestion and 
Delay

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

ACTION: Notice of comment period closing date.

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SUMMARY: This action establishes a new closing date for the comment 
period in DOT's request for public comment on possible market-based 
approaches to relieving airport congestion and delay. After the 
September 11 terrorist attacks, DOT indefinitely suspended the closing 
date for the comment period.

DATES: Comments should be received by July 22, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed or delivered in duplicate to: 
Docket Clerk, Docket No. OST-2001-9849, Room PL-401, U.S. Department of 
Transportation Dockets, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
Comments may also be filed electronically to the following Internet 
address: DMS.dot.gov. Except for Federal holidays, comments may be 
filed or examined weekdays in Room PL-401 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    Comments placed in the docket will be available for viewing on the 
Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Phillips, Senior Policy Advisor, 
202-366-4868 or Nancy Kessler, Senior Attorney-Advisor, 202-366-9301.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 21, 2001, the Department published a notice in the 
Federal Register seeking comments on the possible role, feasibility, 
and effectiveness of using market-based approaches to relieve flight 
delays and congestion at busy airports. 66 FR 43947. Market-based 
approaches are meant to include the development and imposition of 
airport fees that are designed to encourage air carriers to use limited 
airport capacity in a more efficient manner. It was and remains DOT's 
intention to use this and other requests for comments, along with the 
full array of public policy tools, to evaluate the possible use of 
market-based approaches at airports to reduce delays, to improve 
airport capacity management, enhance competition, and promote the 
efficiency of the overall aviation system. As indicated in the August 
21, 2001 notice, the Department also invited comments on how 
administrative actions could work to relieve congestion at busy 
airports.
    Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, the FAA 
temporarily ceased all non-military flights in the United States and 
imposed new security measures prior to the resumption of commercial air 
service. After commercial service resumed, air carriers reduced their 
flight schedules significantly, thereby reducing congestion at formerly 
busy airports. Given these events, and the major operational changes 
air carriers made in response to the new environment, on November 5, 
2001, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register 
suspending the closing date for the comment period in this proceeding 
until further notice. 66 FR 55978. The Department indicated in that 
notice that, at a later date, it would publish a notice setting forth 
the new closing date for comments.
    Over the past several months, air carriers have been slowly 
rebuilding their schedules, and traffic levels are beginning to 
approach normal levels. Indeed, given the FAA's recent projection of 
increased traffic levels during 2003, significant congestion and flight 
delays at certain major airports may occur in the not too distant 
future. Accordingly, it is an appropriate time to resume the discussion 
of how market-based approaches could help relieve congestion.
    Therefore, we are reopening the comment period for 90 days from 
publication of this notice.

    Issued on April 15, 2002, in Washington, DC.
Susan McDermott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, 
Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 02-9775 Filed 4-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P