49 U.S.C. § 47144 — Use of funds for repairs for runway safety repairs

(a) In General. The Secretary of Transportation may make project grants under this subchapter, from an airport's section 47114 apportioned funds or from section 47115 discretionary funds, to an airport described in subsection (b), to carry out airport development that repairs the airport's runway safety area after damage from a natural disaster — so the airport stays compliant with FAA runway safety area regulations. This applies whether or not the damaged runway safety area was originally built using amounts the airport received under this subchapter. (b) Airports Described. An airport is described in this subsection if: it is a public-use airport; it is listed in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems; its runway safety area was damaged by a natural disaster; the airport was denied funding under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for that disaster; the airport's operator has exhausted all legal remedies, including legal action against any parties (or their insurers) whose action or inaction may have contributed to the need for repair; there is still a demonstrated need for the runway safety area to accommodate current or imminent aeronautical demand; and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration determines the cost of repairing or replacing the runway safety area is reasonable compared to its anticipated operational benefit.