§ 47173. Airport funding of FAA staff
(a)
Acceptance of Sponsor-Provided Funds.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may accept funds from an airport sponsor, including funds provided to the sponsor under section
47114
(c), to hire additional staff or obtain the services of consultants in order to facilitate the timely processing, review, and completion of environmental activities associated with an airport development project.
(b)
Administrative Provision.—
Instead of payment from an airport sponsor from funds apportioned to the sponsor under section
47114, the Administrator, with agreement of the sponsor, may transfer funds that would otherwise be apportioned to the sponsor under section
47114 to the account used by the Administrator for activities described in subsection (a).
(c)
Receipts Credited as Offsetting Collections.—
Notwithstanding section
3302 of title
31, any funds accepted under this section, except funds transferred pursuant to subsection (b)—
(1)
shall be credited as offsetting collections to the account that finances the activities and services for which the funds are accepted;
(d)
Maintenance of Effort.—
No funds may be accepted pursuant to subsection (a), or transferred pursuant to subsection (b), in any fiscal year in which the Federal Aviation Administration does not allocate at least the amount it expended in fiscal year 2002 (excluding amounts accepted pursuant to section 337 of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 (115 Stat. 862)) for the activities described in subsection (a).