Grants the commissioner of transportation the authority to increase grant awards for airport improvement and revitalization when the total funds available for assistance support higher maximum grants.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6935
SPONSOR: Lupardo TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the transportation law, in relation to maximum grant
awards for airport improvement and revitalization
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To authorize the commissioner of the department of transportation to
increase the maximum aviation capital grant award from $2.5 million to
up to $5 million.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Paragraph (f) of subdivision 2 of section 14-1 of the trans-
portation law is amened to allow the department of transportation to
increase the maximum grant award higher than the sum of $2.5 million
when thecommissioner, in his or her discretion, determines that the
total funds available for assistance pursuant to this section supports a
higher maximum grant, not to exceed five million dollars.
Section 2: Established the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The maximum grant under the Aviation Capital Grant Program should be
established at a level commensurate with the total appropriation for
each program solicitation.
The grant cap was increased from $1.5 million to $2.5 million in the
2021-2022 enacted budget. Raising the cap further to "up to $5 million"
will provide the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Trans-
portation with the authority necessary to adjust the award cap to better
reflect the size of a particular program solicitation. This would help
some smaller general aviation (GA) airports to-develop important revenue
projects like hangars that typically cost more than the current $2.5
million award cap.
The Aviation Capital Grant Program is available to public-use airports
throughout the state which are listed in the current State Airport
System plan and is a critical source of aviation infrastructure financ-
ing. The program covers projects such as aviation-related facility
construction and reconstruction, terminal improvement and expansion
projects, the purchase of airport equipment, the purchase and installa-
tion of navigational aids and other projects which enhance safety. Just
as importantly, funding under this program can be used for revenue-gen-
erating projects such as concession areas and the forementioned hangar
construction. These types of projects are not eligible for funding under
the federal Airport Improvement Program, which is why the State grant
program is so vital.
Appropriations under this program fluctuate from year to year and the
Department frequently combines multiple year appropriation into one
solicitation. For example, the latest combined solicitation was for a
program total of $50 million. When the program is funded at a level
greater than the current $12.5 million, the grant award cap should be
increased to maximize the program's effectiveness by allowing the fund-
ing of larger projects at airports when necessary and appropriate.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is new legislation.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
No cost to the state.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6935
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 9, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the transportation law, in relation to maximum grant
awards for airport improvement and revitalization
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (f) of subdivision 2 of section 14-l of the
2 transportation law, as amended by section 1 of part XX of chapter 59 of
3 the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
4 (f) No grant or loan to any eligible applicant shall exceed the sum of
5 two million five hundred thousand dollars, and no part of any such grant
6 or loan shall be used for salaries or for services regularly provided by
7 the applicant for administrative costs in connection with such grant or
8 loan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the maximum grant award may be
9 higher than the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars when
10 the commissioner, in his or her discretion, determines that the total
11 funds available for assistance pursuant to this section supports a high-
12 er maximum grant, not to exceed five million dollars.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11052-01-3
