RUNWAY SAFETY AREAS.

SEC. 514. RUNWAY SAFETY AREAS. (a) Eligibility.—Section 47102(3)(B) (as amended by section 122 of this Act) is further amended by adding at the end the following: “(ix) engineered materials arresting systems as described in the Advisory Circular No. 150/5220-22 published by the Federal Aviation Administration on August 21, 1998, including any revision to the circular.”. (b) Solicitation of Comments.—Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall solicit comments on the need for the improvement of runway safety areas through the use of engineered materials arresting systems, longer runways, and such other techniques as the Administrator considers appropriate. (c) Grants for Engineered Materials Arresting Systems.—In making grants under section 47104 of title 49, United States Code, for engineered materials arresting systems, the Secretary shall require the sponsor to demonstrate that the effects of jet blasts have been adequately considered. (d) Grants for Runway Rehabilitation.—In any case in which an airport’s runways are constrained by physical conditions, the Secretary shall consider alternative means for ensuring runway safety (other than a safety overrun area) when prescribing conditions for grants for runway rehabilitation.