[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90044-90045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29772]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. 2016-9477]


Airport Privatization Pilot Program: Preliminary Application for 
Westchester County Airport, White Plains, NY

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt and acceptance for review.

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SUMMARY: The FAA has completed its review of the Westchester County 
Airport (HPN) preliminary application for participation in the Airport 
Privatization Pilot Program. The preliminary application is accepted 
for review, with a filing date of November 4, 2016. The County of 
Westchester, the airport sponsor, may select a private operator, 
negotiate an agreement and submit a final application to the FAA for 
exemption under the pilot program.

DATES: Comments must be received February 13, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin C. Willis, Director, Airport 
Compliance and Management Analysis, ACO-1, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, 
telephone (202) 267-3085

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Title 49 U.S.C. 47134 establishes an airport privatization pilot 
program and authorizes the Department of Transportation to grant 
exemptions from certain Federal statutory and regulatory requirements 
for up to five airport privatization projects. The application 
procedures require the FAA to publish a notice in the Federal Register 
after

[[Page 90045]]

review of a preliminary application. The FAA must publish a notice of 
receipt of the final application in the Federal Register for public 
review and comment for a sixty-day period. The HPN preliminary 
application is available for public review at http://www.regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA Docket NO. 2016-9477.
    Title 49 U.S.C 47134 authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, 
and through delegation, the FAA Administrator, to exempt a sponsor of a 
public-use airport that has received Federal assistance, from certain 
Federal requirements in connection with the privatization of the 
airport by sale or lease to a private party. Specifically, the 
Administrator may exempt the sponsor from all or part of the 
requirements to use airport revenues for airport-related purposes, to 
pay back a portion of Federal grants upon the sale or lease of an 
airport, and to return airport property deeded by the Federal 
Government upon transfer of the airport. The Administrator is also 
authorized to exempt the private purchaser or lessee from the 
requirement to use all airport revenues for airport-related purposes, 
to the extent necessary to permit the purchaser or lessee to earn 
compensation from the operations of the airport.
    On September 16, 1997, the FAA issued a Notice of procedures to be 
used in applications for exemption under the Airport Privatization 
Pilot Program (62 FR 48693). A request for participation in the pilot 
program must be initiated by the filing of either a preliminary or 
final application for exemption with the FAA.
    The County of Westchester submitted a preliminary application to 
the FAA for Westchester County Airport on November 4, 2016; the 
preliminary application is accepted for review, with a filing date of 
November 4, 2016. The County may select a private operator, negotiate 
an agreement and submit a final application to the FAA for exemption.
    If the FAA accepts the final application for review, the 
application will be made available for public review and comment for a 
60-day period.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 6, 2016.
Kevin C. Willis,
Director, Office of Airport Compliance and Management Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2016-29772 Filed 12-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P