Proposed Policy Regarding Airport Rates and Charges; Notice DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SUMMARY: This document announces an extension of the comment period on

Notice of Proposed Policy Regarding Airport Rates and Charges, Docket

No. 27782 (59 FR 29874, June 9, 1994). The notice provided a comment

period extending until August 8, 1994. The comment period is extended

until September 15, 1994. The extension responds to requests by the

Airports Council International--North America (ACI-NA), the American

Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and the Air Transport

Association of America (ATA). The extension will permit interested

parties additional time to develop comments and will provide commenters

the opportunity to consider the effects of any legislation adopted by

Congress that may affect the proposed policy.

DATES: The comment period is being extended from August 8, 1994, to

September 15, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed, in triplicate, to: Federal

Aviation Administration, Office of Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules

Docket (AGC-10), Dockets No. 27782, 800 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591. All comments must be marked: ``Docket No.

27782.'' Comments on this Notice may be examined in room 915G on

weekdays, except on Federal holidays, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Barry Molar, Airports Law Branch (AGC-610), Office of the Chief

Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267-3473.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 9, 1994, the Office of the Secretary

of Transportation (OST) and the FAA issued two related notices on the

subject of Federal policy on airport rates and charges. A notice of

proposed policy entitled ``Proposed Policy Regarding Airport Rates and

Charges,'' listed and explained the principles that the OST and the FAA

believe define Federal policy on the rates and fees that an airport can

charge to aeronautical users of the airport. Notice 94-18, a notice of

proposed rulemaking entitled ``Rules of Practice for Federally Assisted

Airports,'' proposed detailed procedures for the filing, investigation,

and adjudication of complaints against airports for alleged violation

of Federal requirements involving rates and charges and other airport-

related requirements (59 FR 29880, June 9, 1994).

By letters filed in both dockets, ACI-NA, AAAE, and ATA request an

extension of the comment period for both notices. The commenters

request an extension because they believe that additional time is

needed to coordinate with members of each organization and formulate a

position, and because legislation now under consideration by Congress

could require DOT/FAA to make changes in one or both notices. The

commenters request an extension of 4 weeks from the date a conference

report is issued on the pending legislation or from the date of

enactment of new legislation.

In order to provide persons interested in the notice the

opportunity to consider their positions in light of congressional

action, and to provide additional time to prepare comments, the OST and

the FAA find that it would be in the public interest to extend the

comment period for a reasonable time. Accordingly, the comment period

for the notice of proposed policy and the notice of proposed rulemaking

are both extended from August 8 to September 15, 1994.

In the event that legislation is enacted that requires that a final

policy statement and final rule be issued by a certain date, the OST

and the FAA may issue a subsequent notice shortening the comment period

if necessary to meet the statutory deadline for a final rule. Notice of

any further change in the comment period would be published in the

Federal Register.

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 3, 1994.

Mark L. Gerchick,

Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration.

[FR Doc. 94-19554 Filed 8-5-94; 4:26 pm]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-M