§ 47173 — Airport Funding Of Faa Staff

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may accept funds from an airport sponsor, including funds provided to the sponsor under section 47114(c), to hire additional staff or obtain the services of consultants— (1) to facilitate the timely processing, review, and completion of environmental activities associated with an airport development project; (2) to conduct special environmental studies related to an airport project funded with Federal funds; (3) to conduct special studies or reviews to support approved noise compatibility measures described in part 150 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; (4) to conduct special studies or reviews to support environmental mitigation in a record of decision or finding of no significant impact by the Federal Aviation Administration; and (5) to facilitate the timely processing, review, and completion of environmental activities associated with new or amended flight procedures, including performance-based navigation procedures, such as required navigation performance procedures and area navigation procedures. (b) Instead of payment from an airport sponsor from funds apportioned to the sponsor under section 47114, the Administrator, with agreement of the sponsor, may transfer funds that would otherwise be apportioned to the sponsor under section 47114 to the account used by the Administrator for activities described in subsection (a). (c) Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, any funds accepted under this section, except funds transferred pursuant to subsection (b)— (1) shall be credited as offsetting collections to the account that finances the activities and services for which the funds are accepted; (2) shall be available for expenditure only to pay the costs of activities and services for which the funds are accepted; and (3) shall remain available until expended. (d) No funds may be accepted pursuant to subsection (a), or transferred pursuant to subsection (b), in any fiscal year in which the Federal Aviation Administration does not allocate at least the amount it expended in fiscal year 2002 (excluding amounts accepted pursuant to section 337 of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 (115 Stat. 862)) for the activities described in subsection (a).