Natural Hazard Resilience for Airports Act of 2023
This bill expands the eligible uses for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to include projects related to severe weather or natural disasters.
Specifically, the bill makes AIP grants available for the improvement of primary runways, taxiways, and aprons to prepare an airport for resuming or maintaining flight operations in the event of weather events or natural disasters such as an earthquake, flooding, sea level rise, a hurricane, storm surge, a tornado, a wildfire, land instability, or a winter storm.
In addition, the bill makes AIP grants available to qualifying airports for (1) planning for disaster preparedness associated with maintaining airport operations during a natural disaster; (2) acquiring airport communication equipment and fixed emergency generators; and (3) constructing, expanding, or improving airfield infrastructure that will facilitate an airport's disaster response.