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H.R. 6427 · House bill · 119th Congress
This bill reduces the requirements for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow a state to use its state highway standards, instead of federal standards, for airfield pavement projects at certain smaller commercial aviation airports. The bill also requires the FAA to act within a certain time period.
Under current law, airports are generally required to meet FAA standards for Airport Improvement Program-funded construction. For certain nonprimary commercial service airports (i.e., airports that have 2,500 to 10,000 passenger boardings annually) that serve aircraft that do not exceed 60,000 pounds gross weight, the FAA must instead use the state highway standards. A state must request the use of the state standards, and the FAA must determine that their use (1) will not negatively affect safety, and (2) will not result in a shorter life for the pavement.
Under the bill, the FAA must use state highway standards for airfield pavement projects at these airports if (1) the state provides notice to the FAA that nonprimary airports intend to use the state standards, and (2) the FAA determines that the state standards will not negatively affect safety.
The bill also requires the FAA to make a safety determination within six months of a state providing notice. The FAA may extend the time period by six months if the six months is insufficient to make the determination. For each six-month extension, the FAA must notify the state and provide a justification for the extension.
This Act may be cited as the “Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025”.
Section 47114(d)(4) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
“(4) Use of State highway specifications.—
(A) In general.— The Secretary shall use the highway specifications of a State for airfield pavement construction and improvement using funds made available under this subsection or subsection (c)(1)(D) at nonprimary airports serving aircraft that do not exceed 60,000 pounds gross weight if—
(i) such State provides notice to the Secretary that nonprimary airports in the State intend to use such highway specifications; and
(ii) the Secretary determines that such specifications will not negatively affect safety.
(B) Deadline.— The Secretary shall make a determination described in subparagraph (A)(ii) not later than 6 months after a State provides notice to the Secretary under subparagraph (A)(i).
(C) Extension.— If the Secretary determines that the time provided under subparagraph (B) is insufficient to make a determination, the Secretary may extend the determination period by 6 months, so long as the Secretary—
(i) notifies the State that provided notice pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) of the extension; and
(ii) provides justification for the extension to such State.
(D) Additional extensions.— The Secretary may authorize additional extensions under subparagraph (C).”.