§ 47136. Inherently low-emission airport vehicle pilot program

(a) In General.— The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out a pilot program at not more than 10 public-use airports under which the sponsors of such airports may use funds made available under section 48103 for use at such airports to carry out inherently low-emission vehicle activities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, inherently low-emission vehicle activities shall for purposes of the pilot program be treated as eligible for assistance under this subchapter.

(b) Location in Air Quality Nonattainment Areas.—

(1) In general.— A public-use airport shall be eligible for participation in the pilot program only if the airport is located in an air quality nonattainment area (as defined in section 171(2) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7501 (2)).

(2) Shortage of candidates.— If the Secretary receives an insufficient number of applications from public-use airports located in such areas, then the Secretary may consider applications from public-use airports that are not located in such areas.

(c) Selection Criteria.— In selecting from among applicants for participation in the pilot program, the Secretary shall give priority consideration to applicants that will achieve the greatest air quality benefits measured by the amount of emissions reduced per dollar of funds expended under the pilot program.

(d) United States Government’s Share.— Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the United States Government’s share of the costs of a project carried out under the pilot program shall be 50 percent.

(e) Maximum Amount.— Not more than $2,000,000 may be expended under the pilot program at any single public-use airport.

(f) Technical Assistance.—

(1) In general.— The sponsor of a public-use airport carrying out inherently low-emission vehicle activities under the pilot program may use not more than 10 percent of the amounts made available for expenditure at the airport in a fiscal year under the pilot program to receive technical assistance in carrying out such activities.

(2) Eligible consortium.— To the maximum extent practicable, participants in the pilot program shall use an eligible consortium (as defined in section 5506 ^[1] of this title) in the region of the airport to receive technical assistance described in paragraph (1).

(g) Materials Identifying Best Practices.— The Administrator may develop and make available materials identifying best practices for carrying out low-emission vehicle activities based on the projects carried out under the pilot program and other sources.

(h) Report to Congress.— Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing—

(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot program;

(2) an identification of other public-use airports that expressed an interest in participating in the pilot program; and

(3) a description of the mechanisms used by the Secretary to ensure that the information and know-how gained by participants in the pilot program is transferred among the participants and to other interested parties, including other public-use airports.

(i) Inherently Low-Emission Vehicle Activity Defined.— In this section, the term “inherently low-emission vehicle activity” means—

(1) the construction of infrastructure or modifications at public-use airports to enable the delivery of fuel and services necessary for the use of vehicles that are certified as inherently low-emission vehicles under title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and that—

(A) operate exclusively on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, hydrogen, or a blend at least 85 percent of which is methanol;

(B) are labeled in accordance with section 88.312–93(c) of such title; and

(2) the construction of infrastructure or modifications at public-use airports to enable the delivery of fuel and services necessary for the use of nonroad vehicles that—

(A) operate exclusively on compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, hydrogen, or a blend at least 85 percent of which is methanol;

(B) meet or exceed the standards set forth in section 86.1708–99 of such title or the standards set forth in section 89.112(a) of such title, and are in compliance with the requirements of section 89.112(b) of such title; and

(3) the payment of that portion of the cost of acquiring vehicles described in this subsection that exceeds the cost of acquiring other vehicles or engines that would be used for the same purpose; or

(4) the acquisition of technological capital equipment to enable the delivery of fuel and services necessary for the use of vehicles described in paragraph (1).

[1] See References in text note below.

U.S. Code

§ 47136. Inherently low-emission airport vehicle pilot program