§47133. Restriction on use of revenues

§47133. Restriction on use of revenues

(a) Prohibition.—Local taxes on aviation fuel (except taxes in effect on December 30, 1987) or the revenues generated by an airport that is the subject of Federal assistance may not be expended for any purpose other than the capital or operating costs of—

(1) the airport;

(2) the local airport system; or

(3) any other local facility that is owned or operated by the person or entity that owns or operates the airport that is directly and substantially related to the air transportation of passengers or property.

(b) Exceptions.—

(1) Prior laws and agreements.—Subsection (a) shall not apply if a provision enacted not later than September 2, 1982, in a law controlling financing by the airport owner or operator, or a covenant or assurance in a debt obligation issued not later than September 2, 1982, by the owner or operator, provides that the revenues, including local taxes on aviation fuel at public airports, from any of the facilities of the owner or operator, including the airport, be used to support not only the airport but also the general debt obligations or other facilities of the owner or operator.

(2) Sale of private airport to public sponsor.—In the case of a privately owned airport, subsection (a) shall not apply to the proceeds from the sale of the airport to a public sponsor if—

(A) the sale is approved by the Secretary;

(B) funding is provided under this subchapter for any portion of the public sponsor's acquisition of airport land; and

(C) an amount equal to the remaining unamortized portion of any airport improvement grant made to that airport for purposes other than land acquisition, amortized over a 20-year period, plus an amount equal to the Federal share of the current fair market value of any land acquired with an airport improvement grant made to that airport on or after October 1, 1996, is repaid to the Secretary by the private owner.

(3) Treatment of repayments.—Repayments referred to in paragraph (2)(C) shall be treated as a recovery of prior year obligations.

(c) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the use of a State tax on aviation fuel to support a State aviation program or the use of airport revenue on or off the airport for a noise mitigation purpose.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2012—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–95, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added pars. (2) and (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2012 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–95, title I, §149(b), Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 32, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to grants issued on or after October 1, 1996."

Effective Date

Except as otherwise specifically provided, section applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1996, and not to be construed as affecting funds made available for a fiscal year ending before Oct. 1, 1996, see section 3 of Pub. L. 104–264, set out as an Effective Date of 1996 Amendment note under section 106 of this title.

Use of Mineral Revenue at Certain Airports

Pub. L. 112–95, title VIII, §813, Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 124, provided that:

"(a) In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may declare certain revenue derived from or generated by mineral extraction, production, lease, or other means at a general aviation airport to be revenue greater than the amount needed to carry out the 5-year projected maintenance needs of the airport in order to comply with the applicable design and safety standards of the Administration.

"(b) Use of Revenue.—An airport sponsor that is in compliance with the conditions under subsection (c) may allocate revenue identified by the Administrator under subsection (a) for Federal, State, or local transportation infrastructure projects carried out by the airport sponsor or by a governing body within the geographical limits of the airport sponsor's jurisdiction.

"(c) Conditions.—An airport sponsor may not allocate revenue identified by the Administrator under subsection (a) unless the airport sponsor—

"(1) enters into a written agreement with the Administrator that sets forth a 5-year capital improvement program for the airport, which—

"(A) includes the projected costs for the operation, maintenance, and capacity needs of the airport in order to comply with applicable design and safety standards of the Administration; and

"(B) appropriately adjusts such costs to account for inflation;

"(2) agrees in writing—

"(A) to waive all rights to receive entitlement funds or discretionary funds to be used at the airport under section 47114 or 47115 of title 49, United States Code, during the 5-year period of the capital improvement plan described in paragraph (1);

"(B) to perpetually comply with sections 47107(b) and 47133 of such title, unless granted specific exceptions by the Administrator in accordance with this section; and

"(C) to operate the airport as a public-use airport, unless the Administrator specifically grants a request to allow the airport to close; and

"(3) complies with all grant assurance obligations in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 14, 2012] during the 20-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.

"(d) Completion of Determination.—Not later than 90 days after receiving an airport sponsor's application and requisite supporting documentation to declare that certain mineral revenue is not needed to carry out the 5-year capital improvement program at such airport, the Administrator shall determine whether the airport sponsor's request should be granted. The Administrator may not unreasonably deny an application under this subsection.

"(e) Rulemaking.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations to carry out this section.

"(f) General Aviation Airport Defined.—In this section, the term 'general aviation airport' has the meaning given that term in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act."