Congress passed another short-term extension of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) policy and tax authority, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). The measure will last until Sept. 30, 2017.
According to NSSGA, the funding level of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) will remain at $3.35 billion in fiscal 2017, a level that has not changed in six years.
“It is important to keep the FAA authorization stable, and this is a welcome step from Congress,” says Michele Stanley, NSSGA director of government affairs. “But jobs will not be created and aggregates producers will not increase tonnage for much-needed airport and runway improvements without additional AIP funding.”
The extension includes some policy changes related to safety and security and a provision for unmanned aircraft systems. In addition, the bill will increase funding for bomb-sniffing dog teams and require airlines to refund baggage fees if luggage is delayed or lost. Expanding TSA Precheck is also included in the bill.
According to NSSGA, the bill also:
- Streamlines processes for approval and interagency cooperation to deploy unmanned aircraft during emergencies, such as disaster responses and wildfires;
- Prohibits unmanned aircraft users from interfering with emergency response activities, including wildfire suppression, and raises civil penalties to not more than $20,000 for those found in violation;
- Creates new processes to detect, identify and mitigate unauthorized operation of unmanned aircraft around airports and critical infrastructure;
- Requires the marking of certain towers to improve their visibility to low-flying aircraft and help prevent accidents; and more.
