01-2039. Notice of Opportunity To Participate, Criteria Requirements and Change of Application Procedure for Participation in the Military Airport Program (MAP)

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of criteria and application procedure for designation or re-designation, for the fiscal year 2001 MAP.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the criteria, application procedures and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in designating or re-designating, and funding capital development annually for 15 current (joint-use) or former military airports seeking designation or re-designation to participate in the MAP. This Notice reflects and incorporates changes made to MAP in the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century.

The MAP allows the Secretary to designate current (joint-use) or former military airports for which grants may be made under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Secretary is authorized to designate an airport (other than an airport so designated before August 24, 1994) if: (1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under the Title 10 U.S.C. 2687 announcement of closures of large Department of Defense installations after September 30, 1977, or under Section 201 or 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Acts; or (2) the airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations. The Secretary shall consider for designation only those current or former military airports, at least partly converted to civilian airports as part of the national air transportation system, that will reduce delays at airports with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings, or will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in metropolitan areas or reduce current and projected flight delays (49 U.S.C. 47118(c)).

DATES:

Airport sponsors should address written applications for new designation and re-designation in the MAP to the FAA Regional Airports Division or Airports District Office that serves the airport. That office of the FAA must receive applications on or before February 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Submit an original and two copies of Standard Form (SF) 424, “Application for Federal Assistance,” prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-102, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/​OMB/​grants/​index.html,, along with any supporting and justifying documentation. Applicant should specifically request to be considered for designation or re-designation to participate in the fiscal year 2001 MAP. Submission should be sent to the Regional FAA Airports Division or Airports District Office that serves the airport. Applicants may find the proper office on the FAA web site http://www.faa.gov/​arp/​arphome.htm or may contact the office below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. James V. Mottley ([e-mail]) or Leonard C. Sandelli ([e-mail]), Military Airport Program Branch (APP-420), Office of Airport Planning and Programming, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, 20591, [phone], or [phone], respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

General Description of the Program

The MAP provides capital development assistance to civil airport sponsors of designated current (joint-use) military airfields or former military airports that are included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). Airports designated under the program may obtain funds from a set-aside (currently four-percent) of AIP discretionary funds to undertake eligible airport development, including certain types of projects not otherwise eligible for AIP assistance. Such airports may also be eligible to receive funds from other categories of AIP funding.

Number of Airports

A maximum of 15 airports per fiscal year may participate in the MAP at any time.

Term of Designation

The maximum period of eligibility for any airport to participate in the MAP is five fiscal years following designation. An airport sponsor having previously been in the program may apply for re-designation and, if found to satisfy the designation criteria upon reapplication, may have the opportunity to participate for subsequent periods, each not to exceed five fiscal years. The FAA can designate airports for a period less than five years. The FAA will evaluate the conversion needs of the airport in its five-year capital development plan to determine the appropriate length of designation.

Re-Designation

49 U.S.C. 47118(d) permits previously designated airports to apply for re-designation. Applicants reapplying need to meet current eligibility criteria set forth at 49 U.S.C. 47118(a). Re-designation will be considered largely in terms of warranted projects fundable under AIP solely through the MAP. The airport must have MAP eligible projects and the airport must continue to satisfy the designation criteria for the MAP. The FAA will carefully evaluate applications for re-designation, as new candidates tend to have the greatest conversion needs.

Eligible Projects

In addition to other eligible AIP projects, passenger terminal facilities, fuel farms, utility systems, surface automobile parking lots, hangars, and air cargo terminals up to 50,000 square feet of floor space are all eligible to be funded from the MAP. Designated or re-designated military airports can receive not more than $7,000,000 for terminal building facility special authorized projects. Designated or re-designated military airports can receive not more than $7,000,000 for special authorized projects that include hangars, cargo facilities, fuel farms, automobile surface parking, and utility work.

Designation Considerations

In making designations of new candidate airports, the Secretary of Transportation may only designate an airport (other than an airport so designated before August 24, 1994) if it meets the following general requirements:

(I)(1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under—

(A) Section 2687 to title 10;

(B) Section 201 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act (BRAC) (10 U.S.C. 2687 note); or

(C) Section 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 note); or

(2) The airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations.

(II) The airport is classified as a commercial service or reliever airport in the NPIAS. One of the designated airports, if included in the NPIAS, may be a general aviation (GA) airport (public airport other than an air carrier airport, 14 CFR 152.3) that was a former military installation closed or realigned under BRAC, as amended, or 10 U.S.C. 2687. (49 U.S.C. 47118(g))

(III) In designating new candidate airports, the Secretary shall consider if a grant would:

(1) 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 delays and their associated metropolitan areas are identified in the FAA's Aviation Capacity Enhancement Plan DOT/FAA, Office of System Capacity, 1998 Aviation Capacity Enhancement Plan; or

(2) enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in a metropolitan area or reduce current and projected flight delays.

The application for new designation will be evaluated in terms of how the proposed airport and associated projects would contribute to congestion relief and/or how the airport would enhance air traffic or airport system capacity and provide adequate user services.

Project Evaluation

Recently approved Base Closure and Realignment Acts or Title 10 U.S.C. 2678 military airports as well as active military airfields with new joint use agreements will be in the greatest need of funding successfully to convert to or incorporate civil airport operations. Newly converted airports and new joint-use locations frequently have minimum capital development resources and will therefore receive priority consideration for designation and MAP funding. The FAA will evaluate the need for eligible projects based upon information in the candidate airport's five year Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP). Of particular concern is whether these projects are related to development of that airport and/or the air traffic control system. It is the intent of the Secretary of Transportation to fund those airport projects where the benefits to the capacity of the air traffic control or airport systems can be maximized, and/or where the contribution to reducing congestion can be maximized.

1. The FAA will evaluate the candidate airports and/or the airports such candidate airports would relieve based on the following specific factors:

• Compatibility of airport roles and the ability of the airport to provide an adequate airport facility;
• 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 capacities of the candidate airport;
• Potential of other metropolitan area airports to relieve the congested airport;
• Ability to satisfy, relieve 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 and capacity of aircraft projected to serve the airport and level of operations 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 candidate airport.

2. The FAA will evaluate the development needs, which if funded, would make the airport a viable civil airport that will enhance system capacity or reduce delays. Newly closing installations or airport sponsors with new joint-use agreements with existing military aviation facilities will be strongly considered for designation since they tend to have the greatest conversion needs.

Application Procedures and Required Documentation

Airport sponsors applying for designation or re-designation must complete and submit an SF 424, “Application for Federal Assistance,” and supporting documentation to the appropriate FAA office serving that airport. The SF 424 must indicate whether it is an initial application or reapplication for the MAP, and must be accompanied by the documentation and justification listed below:

(A) Identification as Current or Former Military Airport. The application must identify the airport as either a current or former military airport and indicate whether it was:

(1) Closed or realigned under Section 201 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Act, and/or Section 2905 of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (Installations Approved for Closure by the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commissions), or

(2) Closed or realigned pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2687 as excess property (bases announced for closure by DOD pursuant to this title after September 30, 1977 (this is the date of announcement for closure and not the date of the deed to the airport sponsor)), or

(3) A military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations.

(B) Qualifications for MAP:

For (1) through (7) below the applicant does not need to resubmit any unchanged documentation that has been previously submitted to the Regional Airports Division or Airports District Office.

(1) Documentation that the airport meets the definition of a “public airport” as defined in 49 U.S.C. § 47102(16).

(2) Documentation indicating that the required environmental review process for civil reuse or joint-use of the military airfield has been completed. This environmental review would not include review of the individual projects to be funded by the MAP. Rather, the documentation should reflect that the environmental review necessary to convey the property, enter into a long-term lease, or sign a joint use agreement has been completed. The military department conveying or leasing the property, or entering into a joint use agreement, generally has the lead responsibility for this environmental review. The environmental review and approvals must indicate that the operator or owner of the airport has good title, satisfactory to the Secretary, or gives assurance that good title will be acquired, to meet AIP requirements.

(3) In the case of a former military airport, documentation that the eligible airport sponsor holds or will hold satisfactory title, a long-term lease in furtherance of conveyance of property for airport purposes, or a long-term interim lease for 25 years or more, to the property on which the civil airport is being located. Documentation that an application for surplus or BRAC airport property has been accepted by the Government is sufficient to indicate the eligible airport sponsor holds or will hold adequate title or a long-term lease.

(4) 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 of the airport is expected to be classified as a “commercial service airport” or a “reliever airport” as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102(7) and 47102(18). If the airport is applying for the one general aviation slot, it must supply documentation that it is a general aviation airport included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airports Systems (as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47103).

(6) Documentation that the airport owner is an eligible airport “sponsor” as defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102(19).

(7) Documentation that the airport has an unconditionally approved airport layout plan (ALP) and a five-year Airport Capital Improvement Program (ACIP) indicating all eligible grant projects either seeking to be funded from the MAP or other portions of the AIP. The ACIP must also specifically identify the safety, capacity and conversion related projects, associated costs and projected five-year schedule of project construction, including those requested for consideration for 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, if applicable, 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, including how development projects would serve to reduce delays at an airport with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays by commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings or enhance capacity in a metropolitan area.

(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 ACIP, including a discussion of major projects, their priorities, projected schedule for project accomplishment, and estimated costs. Those eligible MAP safety, capacity and/or conversion-related projects proposed for MAP funding should be specifically identified.

(12) A description of those projects that are consistent with the role of the airport and effectively contribute to the joint use or conversion of the airfield to a civil airport. The projects can be related to various improvement categories depending on what is needed to convert from military to civil airport use, to meet required civil airport standards, and/or to provide capacity to the airport and/or airport system. The projects selected; i.e., safety-related, conversion-related, and/or capacity-related, must be identified and fully explained based on the airport's planned use. The sponsor must submit the airport layout plan (ALP) and other maps or charts which clearly identify and help clarify the eligible projects and designate them as safety-related, conversion-related, or capacity-related. These maps and APL's should be cross-referenced with the project costs and project descriptions. Those projects that may be eligible under MAP, if needed for conversion or capacity-related purposes, must be clearly indicated, and include the following information:

Airside:

• Modification of airport or military airfield for safety purposes, including airport pavements modifications (i.e. widening), marking, lighting, strengthening, drainage or modifying other structures or features in the airport environs to meet civil standards for airport imaginary surfaces as described in 14 CFR 77.
• Construction of 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, storm drainage) to meet civil standards. Also, modifications that allow utilities on the civil airport to operate independently, where other portions of the base are conveyed to entities other than the airport sponsor or retained by the Government.
• Purchase, rehabilitation, or modification of airport and airport support facilities and equipment, including snow removal, aircraft rescue, fire fighting buildings and equipment, airport security, lighting vaults, and reconfiguration or relocation of eligible buildings for more efficient civil airport operations.
• Modification of airport or military airfield fuel systems and fuel farms to accommodate civil aviation use.
• Acquisition of additional land for runway protection zones, other approach protection, or airport development.
• Cargo facility requirements.
• Modifications which will permit the airfield to accommodate general aviation users.

Landside:

• Construction of surface parking areas and access roads to accommodate automobiles in the airport terminal and air cargo areas 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 lots, hangars, air cargo terminal buildings, and access roads 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.

Re-Designation of Airports Previously Designated and Applying for up to an Additional Five Years in the Program

Airports applying for re-designation to the Military Airport Program need to submit the same information required by new candidate airports applying for a new designation. On the SF 424, Assistance for Federal Assistance, prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-102, airports must indicate their application is for re-designation to the MAP. In addition to the above information, they must explain:

(1) Why a re-designation and additional MAP eligible project funding is needed to accomplish the conversion to meet the civil role of the airport and the preferred time period for re-designation

(2) Why funding of eligible work under other categories of AIP or other sources of funding would not accomplish the development needs of the airport;

(3) Why, based on the previously funded MAP projects, the projects and/or funding level were insufficient to accomplish the airport conversion needs and development goals; and

(4) The term of the re-designation, not to exceed five years, for which the airport is applying.

This notice is issued pursuant to Title 49 U.S.C. 47118.

Issued at Washington, DC, on January 17th, 2001.

Catherine M. Lang,

Director, Office of Airport Planing and Programming.