(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop and implement a coordinated review process for such projects, which shall provide that all environmental reviews, analyses, opinions, permits, licenses, and approvals that must be issued or made by a Federal agency or airport sponsor for such a project will be conducted concurrently in cooperation with all Federal and State agencies with jurisdiction over environmental-related matters.
Requires: (1) the Secretary determine the reasonable alternatives to an airport capacity enhancement project at a congested airport; and (2) any other participating Federal or State agency to consider only those alternatives the Secretary has determined are reasonable.
Authorizes the Secretary, at the request of an airport sponsor for a congested airport, to approve a restriction on use of a runway to be constructed at the airport to minimize potentially significant adverse noise impacts from the runway only if the restriction is necessary and the most appropriate and cost-effective measure (taking into consideration associated environmental trade-offs) to mitigate such impacts and expedite runway construction.
Authorizes the Secretary, in specified circumstances, to allow an airport sponsor carrying out such a project to make payments, out of airport revenues (including local taxes on aviation fuel), for measures to mitigate the environmental impacts of the project, including aircraft noise.
Permits the FAA Administrator to accept funds from an airport sponsor to hire additional staff or obtain the services of consultants in order to facilitate the timely processing, review, and completion of environmental activities associated with an airport development project.
Authorizes appropriations to facilitate timely processing, review, and completion of environmental activities associated with airport capacity enhancement projects at congested airports.
Permits a person disclosing a substantial interest in an order issued by the Secretary or the head of any other pertinent Federal agency to apply for judicial review of the order. Prescribes procedures and requirements for such an appeal.
(Sec. 5) Repeals the requirement that the Secretary approve a project grant application only if the chief executive officer of the State in which the project will be located certifies that there is reasonable assurance that the project will be located, designed, constructed, and operated in compliance with applicable air and water quality standards.
Revises the approval criteria without the requirement of an environmental impact statement for an airport development project that does not involve the location of an airport or runway, or a major runway extension, at an existing airport. Allows such a project without an environmental impact statement if completing the project would allow airport operations involving aircraft complying with the noise standards prescribed for "stage 3" aircraft (currently "stage 2" aircraft).
(Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary to incur obligations to make grants to an operator of a congested airport and a specified unit of local government to carry out a project to mitigate noise in the area surrounding the airport, if the project is included as a commitment in an FFA record of decision for an airport capacity enhancement project, even if that airport has not met certain regulatory requirements.