96 STAT. 684
PUBLIC LAW 97-248—SEPT. 3, 1982 been given to the interest of communities in or near which the project may be located. (5) It is declared to be national policy that airport development projects authorized pursuant to this title shall provide for the protection and enhancement of the natural resources and the quality of the environment of the Nation. In implementing this policy, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of the Interior and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency with regard to any project included in a project grant application involving airport location, a major runway extension, or runway location which may have a significant impact on natural resources including, but not limited to, fish and wildlife, natural, scenic, and recreation assets, water and air quality, and other factors affecting the environment, and shall authorize no such project found to have significant adverse effect unless the Secretary shall render a finding, in writing, following a full and complete review, which shall be a matter of public record, that no feasible and prudent alternative exists and that all reasonable steps have been taken to minimize such adverse effect. (6)(A) No project grant application for airport development involving the location of an airport, an airport runway, or a major runway extension may be approved by the Secretary unless the sponsor of the project certifies to the Secretary that there has been afforded the opportunity for public hearings for the purpose of considering the economic, social, and environmental effects of the airport or runway location and its consistency with the goals and objectives of such planning as has been carried out by the community. (B) When hearings are held under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the project sponsor shall, when requested by the Secretary, submit a copy of the transcript to the Secretary. (7)(A) No project grant application for a project involving airport location, a major runway extension, or runway location may be approved unless the Governor of the State in which such project is to be located certifies in writing to the Secretary that there is reasonable assurance that the project will be located, designed, constructed, and operated so as to comply with applicable air and water quality standards. In any case where such standards have not been approved and where applicable air and water quality standards have been promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, certification shall be obtained from such Administrator. Notice of certification or refusal to certify shall be provided within sixty days after the project application has been received by the Secretary. (B) The Secretary shall condition approval of any such project grant application on compliance during construction and operation with applicable air and water quality standards. (8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may approve an application for an airport development project (other than an airport development project to which paragraph (7)(A) applies) at an existing airport without requiring the preparation of an environmental impact statement with respect to noise for such project if— (A) completion of the project would allow existing aircraft operations at the airport that involve aircraft that do not comply with the noise standards prescribed for "stage 2" aircraft in section 36.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to
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