§ 63-68.  Limitations on State financial aid.

Grants and loans of funds authorized by this Article shall be subject to the following conditions and limitations:

(1) Loans and grants may be for such projects, activities, or facilities as would in general be eligible for approval by the Federal Aviation Administration or its successor agency or agencies with the exception that the requirement that the airport be publicly owned shall not be applicable.  Further, airport terminal and security areas, seaplane bases, and heliports are also eligible for State financial aid.

(2) Loans and grants of State funds shall be limited to a maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the nonfederal share of the total cost of any project for which aid is requested, and shall be made only for the purpose of supplementing such other funds, public or private, as may be available from federal or local sources provided, however, using one hundred percent (100%) State funding in its discretion the Department of Transportation may purchase, install and maintain navigational aids necessary for the safe, efficient use of airspace and may conduct other projects or programs to improve the safety and planning of the air transportation system, including but not limited to, marking serviceable runways and taxiways.  Further, the Department of Transportation may contract out the maintenance and installation of state-owned navigational aids when necessary and may give or transfer such aids to the Federal Aviation Administration.

(3) Loans and grants of State funds shall be made from General Assembly appropriations specifically designated for aviation improvement, and from no other source.  The Department of Transportation may utilize the State Aviation Grant Funds to cover the direct and indirect costs of administering airport grant projects, other services authorized by this Article including planning, and the costs of services provided by nonadministrative Department of Transportation divisions or other State agencies in connection with these projects.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or G.S. 63-67, the Department of Transportation may allow up to ten percent (10%) of State aviation grant funds to be used for maintenance on General Aviation and Air Carrier Airports having a Department of Transportation approved maintenance plan on a seventy-five percent (75%) local - twenty-five percent (25%) State basis.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Department of Transportation may allow loans and grants of State funds up to eighty percent (80%) of the nonfederal share of the total cost of the development of new or unpaved publicly owned airports identified in the North Carolina Airport System Plan, provided that such funding shall be limited to land acquisition, site preparation, basic runway, taxiway, and apron system construction, together with associated lighting and navigational aids, and construction of the primary airport access road.  Electronic navigational aids, terminal buildings, access taxiways, and other items eligible for State airport aid at the rate of fifty percent (50%) of the nonfederal share of project cost shall not be eligible for the foregoing eighty percent (80%) State funding, even though constructed as part of the initial airport development.

(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Department of Transportation may allow loans and grants of State funds up to ninety percent (90%) of the total cost of the development of new or unpaved publicly owned rural airports identified in the North Carolina Airport System Plan and receiving no federal funding.  Such State funding shall be limited to land acquisition, site preparation, basic runway, taxiway, and apron system construction, together with associated lighting and navigational aids, and construction of the primary airport access road.

The Department of Transportation shall develop rules and regulations to define rural airports. (1967, c. 1006, s. 1; 1969, c. 293; 1973, c. 1262, s. 28; c. 1443, s. 3; 1975, c. 716, s. 3; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1219, s. 39.2; 1979, c. 148, ss. 3, 5; c. 149; 1981, c. 1117, ss. 1, 2; 1983, c. 319; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1094; 1985, c. 782; 1989, c. 636; 1991, c. 430, s. 1.)