1
 So in original.

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised

Section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

47124(a)

49 App.:2222.

Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, § 526, 96 Stat. 698.

47124(b)(1)

49 App.:2222 (note).

Dec. 30, 1987, Pub. L. 100–223, § 306, 101 Stat. 1526.

47124(b)(2)

49 App.:1344(h).

Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 747, § 303(h); added Oct. 31, 1992, Pub. L. 102–581, § 201(a), 106 Stat. 4890.

In subsection (a), the words “In the powers granted under section 2218 of this Appendix” and “contract or other” are omitted as surplus. The word “relieves” is substituted for “contain, among others, a provision relieving”, and the words “from any liability arising out of, or related to” are substituted for “of any and all liability for the payment of any claim or other obligation arising out of or in connection with”, to eliminate unnecessary words.

In subsection (b)(1), the words “in effect” are omitted as surplus. The words “on December 30, 1987” are added for clarity.

In subsection (b)(2), the word “Secretary” is substituted for “Administrator” for consistency in the chapter.

Editorial Notes
References in Text

The date of enactment of this subsection, referred to in subsec. (d)(1)(B), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 115–254, which was approved Oct. 5, 2018.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(1), substituted “under the Contract Tower Program” for “under the program continued under this paragraph” and “exceeds the benefit—” and cls. (i) and (ii) for “exceeds the benefit for a period of 18 months after such determination is made”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(1), substituted “the Cost-share Program” for “the program established under paragraph (3)”.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(2)(A), substituted “Cost-share program” for “Contract air traffic control tower program” in heading.

Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(2)(B), substituted “Contract Tower Program” for “contract tower program established under subsection (a) and continued under paragraph (1) (in this paragraph referred to as the ‘Contract Tower Program’)”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(2)(C), substituted “In carrying out the Cost-share Program” for “In carrying out the program” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3)(C). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(2)(D), substituted “participate in the Cost-share Program” for “participate in the program” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3)(D). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(2), substituted “under the Cost-share Program” for “under the program” and inserted at end “Airports with air service provided under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and more than 25,000 passenger enplanements in calendar year 2014 shall be exempt from any cost-share requirement under this paragraph.”

Subsec. (b)(3)(E). Pub. L. 115–141 substituted “2012 through 2018” for “2012 through 2017 and not more than $5,160,822 for the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018,”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(F). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(c)(2)(E), substituted “the Contract Tower Program” for “the program continued under paragraph (1)”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(G). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(4), added subpar. (G).

Subsec. (b)(4)(A)(i)(III), (ii)(III). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(3)(A), inserted “, including remote air traffic control tower equipment certified by the Federal Aviation Administration” after “1996”.

Subsec. (b)(4)(B)(i)(I). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(3)(B), substituted “Contract Tower Program or the Cost-share Program” for “contract tower program established under subsection (a) and continued under paragraph (1) or the pilot program established under paragraph (3)”.

Subsec. (b)(4)(C). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(a)(3)(C), struck out subpar. (C). Text read as follows: “The Federal share of the cost of construction of a nonapproach control tower under this paragraph may not exceed $2,000,000.”

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 115–254, § 133(b), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

2017—Subsec. (b)(3)(E). Pub. L. 115–63 inserted “and not more than $5,160,822 for the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018,” after “fiscal years 2012 through 2017”.

2016—Subsec. (b)(3)(E). Pub. L. 114–190 substituted “fiscal years 2012 through 2017” for “fiscal years 2012 through 2015 and not more than $8,193,750 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on July 15, 2016,”.

Pub. L. 114–141 substituted “$8,193,750 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on July 15, 2016,” for “$5,175,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on March 31, 2016,”.

2015—Subsec. (b)(3)(E). Pub. L. 114–55 inserted “and not more than $5,175,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on March 31, 2016,” after “fiscal years 2012 through 2015”.

2014—Subsec. (b)(3)(D). Pub. L. 113–76 and Pub. L. 113–235, which identically directed substitution of “benefit, with the maximum allowable local cost share capped at 20 percent.” for “benefit.”, could not be executed because of the prior amendment by Pub. L. 112–55. See 2011 Amendment note below.

2012—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112–95, § 147(a)(1), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted par. and subpar. headings, and added subpars. (B) and (C).

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 112–95, § 147(a)(2), inserted heading.

Subsec. (b)(3)(E), (F). Pub. L. 112–95, § 147(b), added subpars. (E) and (F) and struck out former subpar. (E). Prior to amendment, text of subpar. (E) read as follows: “Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to section 106(k), not more than $6,500,000 for fiscal 2004, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 may be used to carry out this paragraph.”

Subsec. (b)(4)(C). Pub. L. 112–95, § 147(c), substituted “$2,000,000” for “$1,500,000”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–95, § 147(d), added subsec. (c).

2011—Subsec. (b)(3)(D). Pub. L. 112–55 substituted “benefit, with the maximum allowable local cost share capped at 20 percent.” for “benefit.”

2003—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–176, § 105(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (a). Text read as follows: “The Secretary of Transportation shall ensure that an agreement under this subchapter with a State or a political subdivision of a State to allow the State or subdivision to operate an airport facility in the State or subdivision relieves the United States Government from any liability arising out of, or related to, acts or omissions of employees of the State or subdivision in operating the airport facility.”

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 108–176, § 105(2), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “The Secretary may make a contract, on a sole source basis, with a State or a political subdivision of a State to allow the State or subdivision to operate an airport traffic control tower classified as a level I (Visual Flight Rules) tower if the Secretary decides that the State or subdivision has the capability to comply with the requirements of this paragraph. The contract shall require that the State or subdivision comply with applicable safety regulations in operating the facility and with applicable competition requirements in making a subcontract to perform work to carry out the contract.”

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 108–176, § 105(3)(A), (B), struck out “pilot” before “program” in par. heading, before “program to contract” in subpar. (A), before “program, the Secretary” in subpars. (B) and (C), and before “program exceed” in subpar. (D).

Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 108–7, § 370(b)(2)(A), substituted “nonapproach control towers, as defined by the Secretary,” for “Level I air traffic control towers, as defined by the Secretary,”.

Subsec. (b)(3)(E). Pub. L. 108–176, § 105(3)(C), substituted “$6,500,000 for fiscal 2004, $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2007” for “$6,000,000 per fiscal year”.

Pub. L. 108–7, § 370(b)(2)(B), substituted “Of” for “Subject to paragraph (4)(D), of”.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 108–7, § 370(b)(1), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, par. authorized the Secretary to provide grants under this subchapter to not more than two airport sponsors for the construction of a low-level activity visual flight rule (level 1) air traffic control tower.

Subsec. (b)(4)(C). Pub. L. 108–176, § 105(4), substituted “$1,500,000” for “$1,100,000”.

2000—Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 106–181 added pars. (3) and (4).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 108–176 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 2003, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–176, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 106–181 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1999, see section 3 of Pub. L. 106–181, set out as a note under section 106 of this title.

Savings Provision

Pub. L. 108–7, div. I, title III, § 370(b)(3), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 426, provided that: “Notwithstanding the amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 47102 of this title], the towers for which assistance is being provided on the day before the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 20, 2003] under section 47124(b)(4) of title 49, United States Code, as in effect on such day, may continue to be provided such assistance under the terms of such section.”

Approval of Certain Applications for the Contract Tower Program

Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title I, § 133(d), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3209, provided that:

“(1)
In general.—
If the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration has not implemented a revised cost-benefit methodology for purposes of determining eligibility for the Contract Tower Program before the date that is 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 2018], any airport with an application for participation in the Contract Tower Program pending as of January 1, 2017, shall be approved for participation in the Contract Tower Program if the Administrator determines the tower is eligible under the criteria set forth in the Federal Aviation Administration report entitled ‘Establishment and Discontinuance Criteria for Airport Traffic Control Towers’, and dated August 1990 (FAA–APO–90–7).
“(2)
Requests for additional authority.—
The Administrator shall respond not later than 60 days after the date the Administrator receives a formal request from an airport and air traffic control contractor for additional authority to expand contract tower operational hours and staff to accommodate flight traffic outside of current tower operational hours.
“(3)
Definition of contract tower program.—
In this section [probably means “subsection”], the term ‘Contract Tower Program’ has the meaning given the term in section 47124(e) of title 49, United States Code, as added by this Act.”

Nonapproach Control Towers

Pub. L. 108–7, div. I, title III, § 370(c), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 426, provided that:

“(1)
In general.—
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may enter into a lease agreement or contract agreement with a private entity to provide for construction and operation of a nonapproach control tower as defined by the Secretary of Transportation.
“(2)
Terms and conditions.—
An agreement entered into under this section—
“(A)
shall be negotiated under such procedures as the Administrator considers necessary to ensure the integrity of the selection process, the safety of air travel, and to protect the interests of the United States;
“(B)
may provide a lease option to the United States, to be exercised at the discretion of the Administrator, to occupy any general-purpose space in a facility covered by the agreement;
“(C)
shall not require, unless specifically determined otherwise by the Administrator, Federal ownership of a facility covered under the agreement after the expiration of the agreement;
“(D)
shall describe the consideration, duties, and responsibilities for which the United States and the private entity are responsible;
“(E)
shall provide that the United States will not be liable for any action, debt, or liability of any entity created by the agreement;
“(F)
shall provide that the private entity may not execute any instrument or document creating or evidencing any indebtedness with respect to a facility covered by the agreement unless such instrument or document specifically disclaims any liability of the United States under the instrument or document; and
“(G)
shall include such other terms and conditions as the Administrator considers appropriate.”

Use of Apportionments To Pay Non-Federal Share of Operation Costs

Pub. L. 108–7, div. I, title III, § 370(d), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 427, provided that:

“(1)
Study.—
The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a study of the feasibility, costs, and benefits of allowing the sponsor of an airport to use not to exceed 10 percent of amounts apportioned to the sponsor under section 47114 to pay the non-Federal share of the cost of operation of an air traffic control tower under section 47124(b) of title 49, United States Code.
“(2)
Report.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 20, 2003], the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study.”

Contract Tower Assistance

Pub. L. 103–305, title V, § 508, Aug. 23, 1994, 108 Stat. 1596, provided that: “The Secretary shall take appropriate action to assist communities where the Secretary deems such assistance appropriate in obtaining the installation of a Level I Contract Tower for those communities.”