Members press FAA on grant backlogs, PFAS cleanup funding and contract towers for busy regional airports
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Summary
Lawmakers sought updates on FAA grant processing delays, use of categorical exclusions to speed airport projects, PFAS remediation funding for airports and consideration of Pinal Airpark for a contract tower under reauthorization provisions.
Several members used the appropriations hearing to press the FAA about grant review times, airport project approvals, PFAS remediation funding and the contract tower program for busy multiuse airports.
Why it matters: Airport construction and maintenance depend on timely FAA approvals and grant disbursements; unresolved PFAS liabilities and slow approvals can delay projects and increase local costs.
Representative Rushlow asked whether FAA could set response deadlines for project approvals; the administrator said reauthorization sets a 45-day deadline for certain actions but noted NEPA timelines remain (roughly one year for an environmental assessment and two years for an EIS). He said the agency is using process improvements and technology — including categorical exclusions and AI-assisted processing for grants — to reduce backlog and accelerate approvals. "We're using a number of different tools that we have today that we probably didn't have a year ago to in order to expedite that," Rocheleau said.
Representative Aguilar asked about PFAS remediation costs, noting many airports now face cleanup liabilities from prior mandatory PFAS-containing firefighting foams. Rocheleau said the agency is engaged with airports and that mitigation planning is underway; he said appropriations will be critical to relieve airports of remediation costs and that the FAA is coordinating with airport offices on next steps.
Representative Syskemani asked for FAA’s commitment to consider Pinal Airpark for a contract tower under the reauthorization’s prioritization for towers at multiuse airports; Rocheleau responded affirmatively and said the FAA would fully consider Pinal as a candidate. Several members also requested attention to a fully streamlined passenger facility charge (PFC) approval process and airport-specific issues such as San Bernardino International Airport’s federal contract tower language included in reauthorization; Rocheleau said the agency is focused on clearing backlog and working with airports to get funding out.
Members requested follow-up on specific airports, timelines for grants and the status of efforts to streamline land-use approvals; the FAA said hundreds of millions in grants would be issued in coming weeks and committed to working with members on case-specific follow-up.