[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 88 (Monday, May 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25060-25061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09856]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Funding Opportunity for Environmental Mitigation Pilot 
Program

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Section 190 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 authorizes 
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to carry out an Airport 
Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program. This program provides grants to 
sponsors of public-use airports. The pilot program is open to 
environmental mitigation projects that will measurably reduce or 
mitigate aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at 
the airport or within five miles of the airport. FAA may fund up to six 
projects at public-use airports. The purpose of this notice is to 
solicit pre-applications from eligible airports and consortia.

DATES: Pre-applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. EST on July 9, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: You can obtain an electronic copy of this Policy and all 
other documents in this docket using the internet by:
    (1) Searching the Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.faa.gov/regulations/search);
    (2) Visiting FAA's Regulations and Policies web page at (http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies); or
    (3) Accessing the Government Printing Office's web page at (http://www.gpoaccess.gov).
    You can also obtain a copy by sending a request to FAA, Airport 
Planning and Environmental Division, 800 Independence Ave. SW, 
Washington, DC 20591, or by calling (202) 267-3263. Make sure to 
identify the docket number, notice number or amendment number of this 
proceeding.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jaclyn M. Johnson, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue, Washington, DC 20591; email 
[email protected], phone 202-267-9596.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each section of this notice contains 
information and instructions relevant to the pre-application process 
for these environmental mitigation pilot program grants. Applicants 
should read this notice in its entirety so that they have the 
information they need to submit eligible and competitive applications.

[[Page 25061]]

Table of Contents

A. Program Description
B. Federal Award Information
C. Eligibility Information
D. Pre-Application and Submission Information
E. Pre-Application Review Information
F. Grant Award Notice

A. Program Description

    Section 190 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-
254) creates a pilot program for environmental mitigation projects. The 
environmental mitigation projects should introduce new environmental 
mitigation techniques or technologies that have been proven in 
laboratory demonstrations. These projects should propose methods for 
efficient adaptation or integration of new concepts into airport 
operations. In addition, these projects must measurably reduce or 
mitigate aviation impacts on noise, air quality, or water quality at 
the airport or within five miles of the airport, and demonstrate 
whether new techniques or new technologies are practical to implement 
at or near public-use airports.
    FAA may establish and publish information identifying best 
practices for reducing or mitigating aviation impacts on noise, air 
quality, and water quality at airports or in the vicinity of airports 
based on the projects carried out under the program. The program shall 
terminate five years after FAA makes the first grant under the program.

B. Federal Award Information

    Per Section 190(a), FAA may fund up to six projects at public use 
airports. Per Section 190(k), additional projects may be carried out at 
a site previously, but not currently, managed by the Department of 
Defense (DOD) if the DOD provides funds to the FAA for funding such 
projects.
    FAA may make grants from the Airport Improvement Program's noise 
and environmental set-aside (49 U.S.C. 47117(e)(1)(A)). Each project is 
limited to not more than $2,500,000 in federal funding. The federal 
share of the cost of the project carried out under the program is 50 
percent, and requires 50 percent in airport matching funds.

C. Eligibility Information

    The law specifies that projects must be carried out by an eligible 
consortium consisting of two or more of the following entities:
     Businesses incorporated in the U.S.
     Public or private educational or research organizations 
located in the U.S.
     Entities of state or local governments in the U.S.
     Federal laboratories.

D. Pre-Application and Submission Information

    Airport Sponsors should submit a pre-application to their local FAA 
Airports District Office that includes a project title and location, 
and identifies the entities that will carry out the project. The pre-
application should include a description of the roles and 
responsibilities of each entity and must be signed by each entity. The 
pre-application should include a project description that discusses the 
project and anticipated benefits, the roles and responsibilities of 
each entity involved in the program, and how the project meets the 
program's goals of funding mitigation that is not widely available at 
airports; and could introduce a novel, applicable mitigation 
opportunity for airport development operations.
    The pre-application should also describe how environmental benefits 
will be measured and include a draft scope of work that describes how 
the entity will implement the environmental mitigation project. In 
addition, the pre-application should include a schedule for completion 
of the project within 24 months of grant award and feature quarterly 
reporting to the airport sponsor's Regional or Airport District Office. 
Last, the pre-application should include a preliminary SF-424, with 
estimated project cost broken out by federal and local share.
    In short, the pre-application should include the information 
necessary for FAA to determine that the project satisfies project 
requirements as described in Section A and C and to assess the 
selection criteria specified in Section E. The pre-application should 
be prepared with standard formatting preferences including a single-
spaced document, using standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman, 
with 1-inch margins. The pre-application may not exceed 25 pages in 
length, including any attachments or appendices. If the pre-application 
includes information the applicant considers to be trade secret or 
confidential commercial or financial information, the applicant should 
note on the front cover that the submission ``Contains Confidential 
Business Information'' and mark each affected page. DOT protects such 
information from disclosure to the extent allowed under applicable law.
    Pre-applications should be submitted by the airport sponsor, not 
the consortium, to the sponsor's local Regional or Airports District 
Office. A listing of FAA Regional Airports Divisions and Airports 
District Offices by State is located at https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/arp/regional_offices/. Any questions on 
the program and pre-application materials should also be directed to 
the Regional or Airports District Office.

E. Pre-Application Review Information

    FAA will give priority consideration to projects that will achieve 
the greatest reductions in aircraft noise, airport emissions, or 
airport water quality impacts either on an absolute basis or on a per 
dollar of funds expended basis, and will be implemented by an eligible 
consortium.

F. Grant Award Notice

    Following the evaluation outlined in Section E, FAA will notify 
candidates about grant awards. If selected through the pre-application 
process, the local FAA Regional or Airports District Office will 
commence a conventional grant process (including standard application 
materials).
    This policy does not have the force and effect of law and is not 
meant to bind the public in any way, it is intended only to provide 
clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or 
agency policies.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Robert John Craven,
Director, Airport Planning and Programming.
[FR Doc. 2021-09856 Filed 5-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P