Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill would change federal law to allow the Secretary of Transportation to approve the use of a State's highway construction specifications for airfield pavement work at certain small airports. The change applies when the work is paid for using the specific airport grant funds named in the statute and when the airport served is a nonprimary airport with aircraft that do not exceed 60,000 pounds gross weight. Two conditions must be met: the State must notify the Secretary that its nonprimary airports intend to use the highway specifications, and the Secretary must determine those specifications will not negatively affect safety.

What it means for you#

• Small local airports (called nonprimary airports) that serve aircraft up to 60,000 pounds could build or repair runways and taxiways using a State's highway pavement standards instead of existing federal airport standards, if approved.
• A State must tell the Secretary it plans to use its highway standards, and the Secretary must find that using those standards will not harm safety before they can be used.
• The change only applies to projects using the specific airport grant funds referenced in the statute.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on total costs, savings, or budgetary effects. The text says funds "made available under this subsection or subsection (c)(1)(D)" may be used, but it does not specify dollar amounts or changes to funding levels.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.