54 U.S.C. § 101501 — Airports in or near System units

(a) Definitions. The words "airport," "project," "project costs," "public agency," and "sponsor" mean the same thing here as they do in section 47102 of title 49. (b) Acquisition, Operation, and Maintenance of Airports. (1) The Secretary may plan, acquire, build, expand, improve, maintain, equip, operate, regulate, and protect airports in the continental United States, in or close to System units, but only if the Secretary decides the airport is necessary for the Department of the Interior to do its job properly. (2) The Secretary cannot acquire, establish, or build an airport under this section unless it's already included in the national plan of integrated airport systems, which the Secretary of Transportation creates under section 47103 of title 49. (3) Once built, the airport's operation and maintenance must follow the standards and regulations set by the Secretary of Transportation. (c) Authority of Secretary. (1) To carry this out, the Secretary may: (A) acquire the necessary land and land interests; (B) contract for construction, improvement, operation, and maintenance of airports and related facilities; (C) make agreements with other public agencies so they build, operate, or maintain airports themselves, or jointly with the Secretary, on terms both sides agree to; and (D) enter other agreements or take other action about the airports as needed. (2) None of this lets the Secretary acquire land — by purchase, condemnation, grant, or lease — without first getting the consent of both the Governor of the State and the top elected official of the local government where the land sits. (d) Authorization To Sponsor Airport Projects. To carry this out, the Secretary may (1) sponsor airport projects under subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, either alone or with other public agencies; and (2) pay the sponsor's share of project costs using money that was contributed for that purpose, or money that was specifically appropriated or authorized for it. (e) Jurisdiction Over Airports. Unless another law specifically says otherwise, every airport under the Secretary's authority must operate as a public airport. It must be available to the public on fair and reasonable terms, without unjust discrimination.