[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 65845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32773]
[[Page 65845]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. 29088]
Airport Privatization Pilot Program
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of acceptance for review: Preliminary application for
Stewart International Airport, Newburgh, New York.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has completed its
review of the Stewart International Airport (SWF) preliminary
application for participation in the airport privatization pilot
program. The preliminary application is accepted for review, with a
filing date of October 23, 1997. The New York State Department of
Transportation (NYSDOT), 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. Section 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 final
application in the Federal Register for public review and comment for a
sixty day period. The SWF preliminary application is available for
public review in the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Chief
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket (AGC-200), Docket No. 29088, 800
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Benedict D. Castellano, Manager, (202-267-8728) or Kevin C. Willis
(202-267-8741) Airport Safety and Compliance Branch, AAS-310, 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. No. 104-264 (October 9, 1996) (1996
Reauthorization Act), adds a new Sec. 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
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). That notice, and
public comments received on a notice of proposed procedures issued in
April 1997, are available for review in FAA Rules Docket No. 28895. 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.
Final and preliminary applications were not accepted before
December 1, 1997, unless an applicant has issued a request for proposal
(RFP) on or before the date of the notice, September 16, 1997.
Applicants that had already issued a RFP for proposals for the sale or
lease of the airport on or before September 16, 1997 and had selected a
private operator could submit a final application for review before
December 1, 1997. Applicants that had issued the RFP but had not
selected a private operator could file a preliminary application on or
before December 1, 1997.
NYSDOT issued its RFP on June 19, 1997, for Stewart International
Airport, Newburgh, New York and has not selected a private operator. It
was, therefore qualified to submit a preliminary application prior to
December 1, 1997. The filing date of the NYSDOT preliminary application
is October 23, 1997, the date the preliminary application was received
by the FAA. NYSDOT may select a private operator, negotiate an
agreement and submit a final application to the FAA for exemption.
When a final application is reviewed by the FAA, a notice that the
application is available for review will be published in the Federal
Register, with a sixty day comment period.
Issued in Washington, DC on December 9, 1997.
Susan L. Kurland,
Associate Administrator for Airports.
[FR Doc. 97-32773 Filed 12-15-97; 8:45 am]
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