[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 151 (Friday, August 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43009-43010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20293]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. 28895]
Airport Privatization Pilot Program
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of acceptance for review: Preliminary application for
Niagara Falls International Airport, Niagara Falls, New York.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has completed its
review of the Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) preliminary
application for participation in the airport privatization pilot
program. The preliminary application is accepted for review, with a
filing date of July 1, 1999. The Niagara Frontier Transportation
Authority (NFTA), 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.
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 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 IAG preliminary application is
available for public review in the Federal Aviation Administration,
Office of Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket (AGC-200), Docket No.
28895, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kevin C. Willis (202-267-8741) Airport Compliance Division, AAS-400,
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington,
DC 20591.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction and Background
Section 149 of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization
Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-264 (October 9, 1996) (1996 Reauthorization
Act), adds a new section 47134 to Title 49 of the U.S. Code. Section
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 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
[[Page 43010]]
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 Federal Aviation Administration issued a
notice of procedures to be used in applications for exemption under
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.
NFTA issued its RFP on July 1, 1999, for Niagara Falls
International Airport, Niagara Falls, New York and has not selected a
private operator. The filing date of this preliminary application is
July 1, 1999, the date the preliminary application was received by the
FAA. NFTA may select a private operator, negotiate an agreement and
submit a final application to the FAA for exemption.
If FAA accepts the final application for review, the application
will be published in the Federal Register for public review and comment
for a sixty day period.
Issued in Washington, DC on July 30, 1999.
Paul Galis,
Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Airports.
[FR Doc. 99-20293 Filed 8-5-99; 8:45 am]
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