[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11077-11078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6408]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. 28495]
Airport Financial Reports
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of formats for the
preparation and filing of certain financial reports required from
sponsors of federally assisted airports, and requests comments on those
formats. The FY 1994 FAA Authorization Act included provisions
requiring two new reports from airport sponsors. The first requires
sponsors of federally assisted airports to report to the Department of
Transportation amounts paid and services provided to other units of
government. The second requires that the sponsor of each commercial
service airport report in detail the total revenue and expenditures at
the airport, including revenue surplus. This notice provides
information on obtaining copies of the formats, assistance from the FAA
in completing the reports, and directions for submitting the required
reports. In the near future the FAA will issue further guidance on the
filing of this information in an electronic data format and may issue
revised formats in response to comments received.
DATES: Comments on the reporting formats contained in this notice are
due May 2, 1996. Financial reports described in this notice are due
from airport sponsors on the 60th day following the end of the
sponsor's fiscal year, beginning the first fiscal year ending after the
date of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed, in quadruplicate, to: Federal
Aviation Administration, Office of Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules
Docket (AGC-200), Docket No. 28495, 800 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591. All comments must be marked: ``Docket No.
28495.'' Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their
comments must include a pre-addressed, stamped postcard on which the
following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. 28495.'' The
postcard will be date stamped and mailed to the commenter. Comments on
this Notice may be examined at the above address in room 915G on
weekdays, except on Federal holidays, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Copies of the report formats and instructions for completing the
reports are available from the persons listed under ``For Further
Information Contact,'' and may also be downloaded via internet from the
Office of the Associate Administrator for Airports World Wide Web site
at: http:www.faa.gov/arp/arphome.htm.
Reports must be submitted to the airport sponsor's Airports
District Office and to: Airport Safety and Compliance Branch, AAS-310,
ATTN: AIRPORT FINANCIAL REPORTS, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20591.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Benedict D. Castellano, Manager,
Airport Safety and Compliance Branch, AAS-310, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20591,
telephone (202) 267-8728; or Ellis Ohnstad, Manager, Airports Program
Guidance Branch, APP-510, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-
3431.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994
This proposed statement of policy and related procedures is being
published pursuant to section 111 of the Federal Aviation
Administration Authorization Act of 1994, Public Law 103-305 (August
23, 1994) (1994 Authorization Act). That section requires the
Secretary, through a new grant assurance and through establishment of a
new report format, to require two new reports relating to airport
revenue.
Section 111(a) of the 1994 Authorization Act amends Title 49 U.S.C.
47107(a) to add a new sponsor assurance. New assurance no. 26(e)
requires airport owners or operators to submit to the Secretary and
make available to the public an annual report listing all amounts paid
by the airport to other units of government and the purposes for the
payments. Airport owners or operators must also make available a
listing of all services and property provided to other units of
government and the amount of compensation received for provision of
each such service and property.
Section 111(b) of the 1994 Authorization Act requires the Secretary
to issue a simplified format for financial reporting for airports, to
assist in public understanding of airport finances and to provide
information concerning the amount of any revenue surplus, the amount of
concession-generated revenue, and other information required by the
Secretary. Under existing Assurance 26, the sponsor is obligated to
submit such annual or special financial and operations reports as the
Secretary may reasonably request. Section 111(b) specifies a report to
be submitted under that authority. Specifically, Section 111(b)
requires that the report include:
* * *information relating to total revenues, operating expenditures,
capital expenditures, debt service payments, contributions to
restricted funds, accounts, or reserves required by financing
agreements or covenants or airport lease or use agreements or
covenants. Such format shall require each commercial service airport
to report the amount of any revenue surplus, the amount of
concession-generated revenue, and other information as required by
the Secretary.
An operating and financial report, such as the Operating and Financial
Summary, may be required under Assurance No. 26 at the request of the
Secretary. Responsibility for administration of this requirement is
delegated to the FAA. By this notice the FAA is requiring the filing of
annual financial and operating reports under
[[Page 11078]]
Assurance No. 26 in accordance with Section 111 of the 1994
Authorization Act.
Airport Sponsors Required To File Reports
Sponsors of commercial service airports are required to file both
reports. While the Governmental Payment and Services Report is
technically required from all sponsors accepting grants with the new
assurance, the FAA will require submission of the report to the
Airports District Office and Washington headquarters only by commercial
service airports at this time. There are slightly more than 600
commercial service airports in the United States. This group of
airports includes the airports used by air carriers, and includes all
of the largest airports most likely to be able to generate excess
revenue that could be diverted to non-airport uses. Other airport
sponsors subject to the requirement must prepare the report and make it
available on request to the FAA, members of the public, and members of
the airport user community. The FAA may require that all airports
submit the Governmental Payment and Services Report in the future.
Sponsors Operating More Than One Airport
Generally, a separate report must be submitted for each airport.
State governments that operate multiple airports may request an
exception to this requirement to consolidate reports for certain
airports, such as non-commercial or non-primary airports. The request
must be submitted in writing to the FAA office that administers the
sponsor's projects (e.g., Airports District Office) and must include an
explanation of the reasons for proposed consolidation of multiple
airports in one report, a list of the airports that would be affected,
and an explanation of why the consolidation would not significantly
affect the collection of information on revenue use at those airports.
Effective Date and Time for Filing
The formats and instructions for the two reports described in this
notice are effective on the date of publication of this notice. The
requirement to file the Governmental Payment and Service Report is
effective upon the acceptance of a grant containing new Assurance No.
26(e) required by 49 U.S.C. 47107(a)(19). The FAA is requiring the
filing of annual financial and operating reports under Assurance No. 26
effective upon publication of this notice.
Both reports are due 60 days after the end of the sponsor's fiscal
year, beginning the first year that ends after the publication date of
this notice. This will require that the report include information on
part of a fiscal year prior to publication of the notice. However; the
information requested in the report is basic airport financial
information, and would have been collected and recorded by a sponsor in
any event. Accordingly, we would not expect the reporting of
information for the current fiscal year to be an undue burden on
sponsors. Comment is requested on any specific hardships with the
reporting of this information.
Where To File Reports
Sponsors should send one copy of each report to the FAA office that
administers the sponsor's grants and one copy to the Airport Safety and
Compliance Branch, AAS-310, ATTN: AIRPORT FINANCIAL REPORTS, Federal
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., NW., Washington, DC
20591. Also, all reports must be made available to the public and to
airport users on request. The reports represent summaries of airport
financial activity only, and the FAA expects that the sponsor will have
detailed accounting information and records available to support the
summaries if requested by the FAA.
Signature Level of Certifying Official
The reports must be signed by:
(1) The principal financial officer of the airport authority, if
the airport is an independent authority;
(2) the principal financial officer of the local political
jurisdiction that operates the airport, if the airport is operated as
an agency or department of local government; or
(3) the principal financial officer of the state executive
department that operates the airport, if the airport is operated by a
state government.
Electronic Data Submission
The formats made available indicate how the information included in
the reports is to be categorized and organized if filed by hard copy
report. It is the FAA's intention to provide for the filing of this
information using an electronic data format. The FAA will publish more
detailed information on the format and technical requirements for
electronic data format filing prior to July 1, 1996. It is contemplated
that the reports will be required on electronic spreadsheet and word
processing programs, submitted electronically or on standard-format
computer diskettes. Word processing and spreadsheet files will be
required to be readable by current versions of one or more of the
following programs, or in such other format as may be specified by
notice in the Federal Register: Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, Ami Pro,
Microsoft Excel, Lotus, Quattro Pro, or ASCII tab-delineated files.
Submissions in electronic form will assist the FAA to analyze data and
prepare reports, including consolidated reports to Congress, on the
individual submissions. The paper copy would be the official record
copy of the report, but sponsors would certify that files on the
diskette are true copies of the data file used to prepare the printed
version of the report.
Effective Date and Request for Comments
The reporting formats made available at this time are effective
upon publication of this notice and should be used until superseded by
a new format published in the Federal Register. Copies of the formats
are available from the persons listed under for further information
contact and may also be downloaded by internet from the Office of the
Associate Administrator for Airports World Wide Web site at: http:/
www.faa.gov/arp/arphome.htm.
Comments are invited on the format and instructions for each
report. The FAA will make every effort to make any changes in the
format and publish notice of the revised form in the Federal Register
prior to June 30, 1996.
Issued in Washington, DC on March 13, 1996.
James H. Washington,
Acting Associate Administrator for Airports.
[FR Doc. 96-6408 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
