The nation is seeing a sustained and robust growth of construction activity following the enactment of major policy changes, especially the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the IRA private sector tax incentives for expanded economic activity in countless airports. This has boosted the development of countless new projects for airport and grid energy efficiency with more airport mega projects bidding now. Therefore, SMACNA endorses the compromise FAA reauthorization represented by H.R. 3935.
SMACNA has shared with Congress and federal policy leaders for decades the needs for the following provisions contained in H.R. 3935:
- Permitting reform to expedite airport environmental reviews to accelerate terminal construction projects.
- Retrofitting and increasing energy efficiency of all the nation’s airports (section 742).
- Allowing present and future airport power demands for airside and landside operations to be included airport energy assessments.
- Allowing the Secretary of Transportation to make grants to airport sponsors to acquire or construct equipment that will improve energy efficiency at the airport complex.
- Provide a GAO study of onsite airport energy generation solutions for operational efficiency.
