House Passes Transportation Funding Bill; Includes $2 Million In Research Funds for AVGAS

HOUSE PASSES TRANSPORTATION FUNDING BILL; INCLUDES $2 MILLION IN RESEARCH FUNDS FOR AVGAS

August 5, 2010

What’s at Issue
On July 29, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 5850) to fund transportation programs for the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the modes of transportation under its jurisdiction, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for fiscal year 2011 (FY11).  

Why It’s Important
The legislation includes increased funding levels for NextGen as well as $2 million to research and test unleaded fuels and piston engine modification to seek a safe alternative to the currently utilized leaded aviation gasoline. 

Major Provisions
DOT

• $67.4 billion is provided for the DOT, $500 million below the FY10 bill.
  • FAA – $16.5 billion is included for the funding and other provisions of the agency.  This is an increase of $512 million over last year’s level and $26 million more than the President’s budget request.
    • FAA Operations:  $9.7 billion is included for operations, an increase of $442 million. 
      • $3.9 billion of the FAA’s operating budget is derived from the Airport and Airways Trust Fund (trust fund).  The remaining $5.8 billion is drawn from the general fund of the U.S. Treasury.  The House appropriations committee stated in its report on H.R. 5850 that this constitutes 35% of the FAA’s entire budget.
      • RNAV/RNP procedures development – $47 million is included for the area navigation (RNAV) and required navigation performance (RNP) program, which is $15 million below last year’s enacted level.
      • Aviation safety – $1.3 billion is included for aviation safety, which is an increase of $70 million over last year’s level.  The FAA had requested $14 million to hire 82 additional flight standards, aircraft certification, and operational safety personnel to assist with safety oversight and regulatory activities, environmental compliance efforts, and required navigation performance to advance NextGen.
      • Oversight of Foreign Repair Stations – $10.5 million is provided for increased inspections of foreign repair stations.  This includes funding for an additional 40 inspectors for foreign repair stations.
      • Aviation User Fees – the bill prohibits funds from being used to finalize or implement any new unauthorized user fees.
  • Facilities and Equipment (F&E): $3 billion is provided for F&E, an increase of $63 million above last year’s level, to modernize and improve air traffic control and airway facilities. 
    • Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen):
      • $9 million for NextGen system development
      • $29 million for NextGen networked facilities for future facilities investment planning.
    • En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) – $132 million is provided to the FAA’s modernization program to replace the en route host computer system, backup system, display systems, and radar position processor infrastructure. This is one of the most complex transitions the FAA has embarked upon in decades.
    • Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) – $176 million is provided for one of the key technologies for NextGen that will eventually provide greater positional accuracy and utilization of the national airspace system.
    • Additional ADS-B Coverage for General Aviation – $21 million is provided for additional ADS-B surveillance coverage for airports that are not currently covered by radar.  This coverage will provide greater safety to general aviation users who have aircraft equipped with “ADS-B Out” technology to be monitored by air traffic controllers and will help mitigate risks such as in-flight collisions.
  • Research, Engineering & Development:  $198 million is provided, an increase of $7.5 million above last year’s level.
    • NextGen alternative fuels for general aviation – the bill provides $2 million to research and test unleaded fuels and piston engine modification to seek a safe alternative to the currently utilized leaded aviation gasoline.
    • The committee report states that it recognizes the need for the FAA to implement a program to develop aircraft engine emissions and airworthiness regulatory standards and policies to remove lead from the fuel used in piston-engine aircraft.  The program should be coordinated with current industry initiatives established to transition the piston-engine aircraft fleet to reduced lead or unleaded fuel.
  • Airport Improvement Program (AIP):  $3.515 is provided for AIP, the same funding level has been provided for AIP for the past five years.
  • FAA Administrative Provision:  Prohibits funds from being used to change weight restrictions or prior permission rules at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.

NATA Position
NATA is pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives has moved forward on completing appropriations legislation to fund transportation program for FY11.  Funding for federal aviation programs is critical to the FAA’s mission of providing a safe national aviation system.  NATA is pleased with the committee’s support of general aviation coalition efforts to bring together the FAA, Environmental Protection Agency and industry to work toward a solution for the future of aviation gasoline.

Status
It is possible that the U.S. Senate will focus on appropriations legislation when they return from August recess, enabling the transportation funding bill to be finalized before the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2010. 

To view the FY11 Transportation Appropriations Bill, please click here.

Click here to view a pdf of this release. 

Staff Contact: 
Kristen Moore
Director, Legislative Affairs
kmoore@nata.aero