STUDY TO EVALUATE JOINT MILITARY-CIVILIAN USE OF MILITARY AIRFIELDS

SEC. 2866. STUDY TO EVALUATE JOINT MILITARY-CIVILIAN USE OF MILITARY AIRFIELDS (a) In General.— The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a joint study to evaluate the desirability and feasibility of converting airfields under the jurisdiction of each military department— (1) to civilian use; or (2) in the case of any such airfield which will continue to be used by the military department, to joint civilian and military use. (b) Specific Matters to Be Considered.— In conducting the study referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation shall— (1) prepare an inventory of airfields under the control of each military department; (2) evaluate the present and future need of airfields for civilian use and for military use; (3) evaluate the extent to which civilian or joint civilian military use of such airfields would meet national aviation policy objectives; (4) identify obstacles to and incentives for encouraging civilian or joint civilian-military use of such airfields; 104 STAT. 1807 (5) identify and assess means of reducing the cost to the Department of Defense of civilian or joint civilian-military use of such airfields, including— (A) cost sharing agreements with civilian users of such airfields; (B) use of funds from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; (C) the imposition of civilian aviation user fees; (D) civil aviation user lease agreements; and (6) assess the advisability of a joint-use agreement between the military department that controls the airfield and a commercial fixed-base operator. (c) Report.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a joint report on the results of the study referred to in subsection (a) together with such comments and recommendations for legislation as the Secretaries consider appropriate. (d) Funding for Study.— The study referred to in this section shall be funded jointly by the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation. (e) Authorization of Appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.