Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§47119 Terminal development costs

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART B— - AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE › Chapter CHAPTER 471— - AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT › § 47119

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets the Secretary of Transportation approve terminal projects at commercial service airports when the airport owner certifies certain safety and security equipment is already in place and that passengers can get to areas used for boarding or exiting non‑air‑carrier planes. The work must be directly tied to moving passengers or baggage inside the airport (including vehicles that move people between terminals and airplanes) or to installing security cameras in public terminal areas. The Secretary can also allow work in revenue‑producing areas or nonrevenue parking lots for very small airports that have no more than .05 percent of U.S. annual boardings, as long as the airport owner certifies that needed safety, security, or capacity projects will not be delayed. The Secretary may approve building or installing a lactation area (a breastfeeding space) and a universal changing station (an accessible changing table). Money rules and limits: apportioned funds under section 47114 may be used to repay or pay for past terminal work done in certain date ranges (after June 30, 1970 and before July 12, 1976 if costs meet later rules; January 1, 1992–October 31, 1992 for nonhub airports; and certain projects between January 2003 and August 2004 under specific conditions). A grant is allowed only if the airport owner files the required certification, the Secretary finds repayment won’t delay non‑terminal projects, and no more subchapter funds are used for extra terminal work at that airport for at least one year after repayment. Each year the Secretary may let primary airports use their apportionments for these costs, allow up to $200,000 from the discretionary fund for nonprimary commercial or reliever airports, let small primary airports use discretionary and small airport funds, set aside up to $25,000,000 for certain commercial airports, and award up to $20,000,000 from the discretionary fund to a nonprimary airport expected to become primary within three years. The Secretary may waive some program rules for airports under .05 percent of enplanements, will pick the calendar year that helps an airport when deciding commercial service status for certain grants, and may distribute up to $30,000,000 from the discretionary fund for terminal projects at eligible nonhub or small hub airports.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §47119

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of Transportation may approve a project for terminal development (including multimodal terminal development) in a nonrevenue-producing public-use area of a commercial service airport—
(A)if the sponsor certifies that the airport, on the date the grant application is submitted to the Secretary, has—
(i)all the safety equipment required for certification of the airport under section 44706;
(ii)all the security equipment required by regulation; and
(iii)provided for access by passengers to the area of the airport for boarding or exiting aircraft that are not air carrier aircraft;
(B)if the cost is directly related to—
(i)moving passengers and baggage in air commerce within the airport, including vehicles for moving passengers between terminal facilities and between terminal facilities and aircraft; or
(ii)installing security cameras in the public area of the interior and exterior of the terminal; and
(C)under terms necessary to protect the interests of the Government.
(2)In making a decision under paragraph (1), the Secretary may approve as allowable costs the expenses of terminal development in a revenue-producing area and construction, reconstruction, repair, and improvement in a nonrevenue-producing parking lot if—
(A)except as provided in section 47108(e)(3),11 See References in Text note below. the airport does not have more than .05 percent of the total annual passenger boardings in the United States; and
(B)the sponsor certifies that any needed airport development project affecting safety, security, or capacity will not be deferred because of the Secretary’s approval.
(3)In addition to the projects described in paragraph (1), the Secretary may approve a project for terminal development for the construction or installation of a lactation area (as defined in section 47107(w)) at a commercial service airport.
(4)In addition to the projects described in paragraph (1), the Secretary may approve a project for terminal development for the construction or installation of a universal changing station (as defined in section 47107(y)) at a commercial service airport.
(b)(1)An amount apportioned under section 47114 and made available to the sponsor of a commercial service airport at which terminal development was carried out after June 30, 1970, and before July 12, 1976, is available to repay immediately money borrowed and used to pay the costs for such terminal development if those costs would be allowable project costs under section 47110(d) if they had been incurred after September 3, 1982.
(2)An amount apportioned under section 47114 and made available to the sponsor of a nonhub airport at which terminal development was carried out between January 1, 1992, and October 31, 1992, is available to repay immediately money borrowed and to pay the costs for such terminal development if those costs would be allowable project costs under section 47110(d).
(3)An amount apportioned under section 47114 or available under subsection (b)(3) to a primary airport—
(A)that was a nonhub airport in the most recent year used to calculate apportionments under section 47114;
(B)that is a designated airport under section 47118 in fiscal year 2003; and
(C)at which terminal development is carried out between January 2003 and August 2004,
(4)An amount is available for a grant under this subsection only if—
(A)the sponsor submits the certification required under subsection (a);
(B)the Secretary decides that using the amount to repay the borrowed money will not defer an airport development project outside the terminal area at that airport; and
(C)amounts available for airport development under this subchapter will not be used for additional terminal development projects at the airport for at least 1 year beginning on the date the grant is used to repay the borrowed money.
(5)A grant under this subsection shall be subject to the limitations in subsections (c)(1) and (c)(2).
(c)In a fiscal year, the Secretary may make available—
(1)to a sponsor of a primary airport, any part of amounts apportioned to the sponsor for the fiscal year under section 47114(c)(1) of this title to pay project costs allowable under subsection (a);
(2)on approval of the Secretary, not more than $200,000 of the amount that may be distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary fund established under section 47115 of this title—
(A)to a sponsor of a nonprimary commercial service airport to pay project costs allowable under subsection (a); and
(B)to a sponsor of a reliever airport for the types of project costs allowable under subsection (a), including project costs allowable for a commercial service airport that each year does not have more than .05 percent of the total boardings in the United States;
(3)for use by a primary airport that each year does not have more than .05 percent of the total boardings in the United States, any part of amounts that may be distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary fund and small airport fund to pay project costs allowable under subsection (a);
(4)not more than $25,000,000 to pay project costs allowable for the fiscal year under subsection (a) for projects at commercial service airports that were not eligible for assistance for terminal development during the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, under section 20(b) of the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970;
(5)to a sponsor of a nonprimary airport, any part of amounts apportioned to the sponsor for the fiscal year under section 47114(c) and 47114(d)(2)(A) for project costs allowable under subsection (a); or
(6)not more than $20,000,000 of the amount that may be distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary fund established under section 47115, to the sponsor of a nonprimary airport to pay costs allowable under subsection (a) for terminal development projects, if the Secretary determines (which may be based on actual and projected enplanement trends, as well as completion of an air service development study, demonstrated commitment by airlines to provide commercial service accommodating at least 10,000 annual enplanements, the documented commitment of a sponsor to providing the remaining funding to complete the proposed project, and a favorable environmental finding (including all required permits) in support of the proposed project) that the status of the nonprimary airport is reasonably expected to change to primary status based on enplanements for the third calendar year after the issuance of the discretionary grant.
(d)With respect to a project at a commercial service airport which annually has less than 0.05 percent of the total enplanements in the United States, the Secretary may approve the use of the amounts described in subsection (a) notwithstanding the requirements of section 47107(a)(17), 47112, and 47113.
(e)For the purpose of determining whether an amount may be distributed for a fiscal year from the discretionary fund in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(A) to a commercial service airport, the Secretary shall make the determination of whether or not a public airport is a commercial service airport on the basis of the number of passenger boardings and type of air service at the public airport in the calendar year that includes the first day of such fiscal year or the preceding calendar year, whichever is more beneficial to the airport.
(f)The Secretary may distribute not more than $30,000,000 from the discretionary fund established under section 47115 for terminal development projects at a nonhub airport or a small hub airport that is eligible to receive discretionary funds under section 47108(e)(3).1

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 103–272 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 47119(a)49 App.:2212(b)(4).Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, § 513(b)(4), 96 Stat. 690; Dec. 30, 1987, Pub. L. 100–223, § 106(b)(5)(B), 101 Stat. 1498. 47119(b)49 App.:2212(b)(2).Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, § 513(b)(2), 96 Stat. 690; Dec. 30, 1987, Pub. L. 100–223, §§ 106(b)(5)(A), 111(a)(1), 101 Stat. 1498, 1503. 49 App.:2212(b)(3).Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, § 513(b)(3), 96 Stat. 690. In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “(within the meaning of section 11(1) of the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970 [49 App. U.S.C. 1711(1)] as in effect immediately before September 3, 1982)” are omitted because of the definition of “air carrier airport” in section 47102 of the revised title. The words “after June 30, 1970” are substituted for “on or after July 1, 1970” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code and to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “to repay immediately money borrowed and used to pay the costs for terminal development at the airport, if those costs would be allowable project costs under section 47110(d) of this title” are substituted for “for the immediate retirement of the principal of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness the proceeds of which were used for that part of the terminal development at such airport the cost of which would be allowable under paragraph (1) of this subsection” for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words “In a fiscal year” are added for clarity. In clause (2), the words “from the discretionary fund” are substituted for “sums to be distributed at the discretion of the Secretary under section 2206(c) of this Appendix” for clarity and consistency in this chapter. In clause (3), the words “for projects” are added for clarity. Pub. L. 103–429 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 47119(b)49 App.:2212(b)(2).Sept. 3, 1982, Pub. L. 97–248, § 513(b)(2), as amended May 26, 1994, Pub. L. 103–260, § 107, 108 Stat. 700. In subsection (b)(3), the words “from the discretionary fund and small airport fund” are substituted for “sums to be distributed at the discretion of the Secretary under section 2206(c) and 2206(d) of this Appendix” for clarity and consistency in this chapter.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 47108(e)(3), referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(A) and (f), was redesignated section 47108(d)(3) of this title by Pub. L. 118–63, title VII, § 707(4), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1251. section 20(b) of the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970, referred to in subsec. (c)(4), is section 20(b) of Pub. L. 91–258, which was classified to section 1720(b) of former Title 49, Transportation, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–248, title V, § 523(a), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 695.

Amendments

Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 118–63, § 774(b), added par. (4). Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 118–63, § 718(a)(2)(A), substituted “section 47114(c) and 47114(d)(2)(A)” for “section 47114(d)(3)(A)”. Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 118–63, § 718(a)(1), (2)(B), (3), added par. (6). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–63, § 718(b), substituted “$30,000,000” for “$20,000,000”. 2018—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–254, § 138, substituted “directly related to—” for “directly related to”, inserted cl. (i) designation before “moving passengers and”, substituted “; or” for “; and”, and added cl. (ii).

Amendments

were executed to this section to reflect the probable intent of Congress, notwithstanding directory language amending section 47119(a)(1)(B), without specifying the Code title to be amended. Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 115–254, § 132(b), added par. (3). 2012—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(2), added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(1), redesignated subsec. (a) as (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c). Subsec. (b)(3), (4)(A). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(4), substituted “subsection (a)” for “section 47110(d)”. Subsec. (b)(4)(B). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(3), substituted “Secretary” for “Secretary of Transportation”. Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(5), substituted “subsections (c)(1) and (c)(2)” for “subsection (b)(1) and (2)”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(1), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). Subsec. (c)(1), (2)(A). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(6), substituted “subsection (a)” for “section 47110(d) of this title”. Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(7), substituted “subsection (a)” for “section 47110(d)”. Subsec. (c)(3), (4). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(6), substituted “subsection (a)” for “section 47110(d) of this title”. Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(7), substituted “subsection (a)” for “section 47110(d)”. Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(1), redesignated subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e), respectively. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 112–95, § 152(b)(8), added subsec. (f). 2003—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–176, § 166, amended heading and text of subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “An amount apportioned under section 47114 of this title and made available to the sponsor of an air carrier airport at which terminal development was carried out after
June 30, 1970, and before
July 12, 1976, or, in the case of a commercial service airport which annually had less than 0.05 percent of the total enplanements in the United States, between
January 1, 1992, and
October 31, 1992, is available to repay immediately money borrowed and used to pay the costs for terminal development at the airport, if those costs would be allowable project costs under section 47110(d) of this title if they had been incurred after
September 3, 1982. An amount is available for a grant under this subsection— “(1) only if— “(A) the sponsor submits the certification required under section 47110(d) of this title; “(B) the Secretary of Transportation decides that using the amount to repay the borrowed money will not defer an airport development project outside the terminal area at that airport; and “(C) amounts available for airport development under this subchapter will not be used for additional terminal development projects at the airport for at least 3 years beginning on the date the grant is used to repay the borrowed money; and “(2) subject to the limitations in subsection (b)(1) and (2) of this section.” Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 108–176, § 149(d), added par. (5). 2000—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–181 added subsec. (d). 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–305, § 117(1), inserted “or, in the case of a commercial service airport which annually had less than 0.05 percent of the total enplanements in the United States, between
January 1, 1992, and
October 31, 1992,” after “
July 12, 1976,”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(69)(B), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “to a sponsor of a nonprimary commercial service airport, not more than $200,000 of the amount that may be distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary fund to pay project costs allowable under section 47110(d) of this title; or”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(69)(B), added par. (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (4). Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(69)(A), redesignated par. (3) as (4). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–305, § 117(2), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2003 AmendmentAmendment 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 AmendmentAmendment 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 47119

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73