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Regional Aviation News Flight-100 FAA Authorization Proposal Charts
New Century Of Safer, More Efficient Aviation DOT 22-03 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta today submitted to the Congress the Bush Administration’s four-year aviation reauthorization proposal. The Centennial of Flight Aviation Authorization Act (Flight-100) provides a substantial investment in safety research, air traffic control modernization, airport infrastructure improvements and environmental initiatives. “Flight-100 will help increase capacity and efficiency throughout our aviation system while improving the existing environmental review process,” Secretary Mineta said. “The Bush Administration looks forward to working closely with the Congress on timely passage of this bill as we continue to improve the safest aviation system in the world.” Flight-100 will further ensure the highest possible levels of safety throughout the aviation system by continuing to fund important infrastructure improvements and improving the FAA’s research and development program. The proposal provides $2.9 billion in FY 2004 for FAA facilities and equipment, rising to $3.1 billion by 2007. To improve efficiency, the agency would receive $7.5 billion in FY 2004 for operations and maintenance, a 7 percent increase over the FY 2003 budget request. These funds support implementation of the FAA's Operational Evolution Plan, the acceleration of airspace redesign and future air traffic controller staffing needs. The proposal includes $100 million for
safety research, engineering and development in FY 2004. Flight-100 also improves safety oversight
of operators, repair stations and others, while tightening enforcement of the
FAA’s stringent safety and maintenance regulations. “In this centennial year of flight, the
Administration’s authorization proposal delivers a blueprint to prepare for
the needs of aviation’s future,” said FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey. “We must
continue to set the highest standard for safe, efficient air travel through
the industry’s inevitable recovery and change.” In
addressing future industry capacity and efficiency requirements, Flight-100
calls for an Airport Improvement Program (AIP) investment of $3.4 billion
each year over the entire term of the reauthorization. If enacted, the reauthorization would
restructure AIP formulas and set-asides to allow more funds to be targeted to
airports with the greatest need and dependence on federal assistance. Such restructuring would transfer more than
$87 million in FY 2004 funds from large to small airports, thereby raising
small airports’ share from approximately 63 percent to over 66 percent of
total AIP grants. The proposal also
increases the amount of discretionary funding from 34 percent to 46 percent
of the AIP program, allowing FAA to target those projects that serve national
objectives and achieve the greatest system benefits regardless of airport
size. The
Administration’s proposal builds on President Bush’s executive order to
streamline environmental review processes by proposing a number of noise and
air quality initiatives to reduce the most significant aviation environmental
impacts. For example, the proposal
makes more flexible use of the AIP noise set-asides to accelerate research
designed to reduce aircraft noise and emissions. The authorization proposal also funds noise
mitigation efforts to lessen the impacts of airport expansion and funds
grants to state and local governments to make land uses adjacent to large and
medium-sized airports more compatible with airport operations. In addition, Flight-100 allows the FAA to
designate aviation safety projects for expedited streamlined environmental
review. Finally, Flight-100 would implement major revisions to the Essential Air Service (EAS) Program creating an Essential Transportation Service (ETS) Program that will provide more efficient management and better tailor the service to the needs of specific communities. With the proposed reforms, the department would be able to ensure that the small communities that need it the most, maintain access to the national air transportation system. To encourage community participation and support of its subsidized service, the proposal requires communities to contribute either 10 or 25 percent of the total subsidy required depending on their degree of isolation. Source: DOT, Secretary
Mineta’s Proposed Legislation to Congress FAA
Reauthorization Proposal - Analysis FAA
Reauthorization Proposal - Charts FAA
Reauthorization Proposal Summary |
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