Section 2
Federal Funds for DIA
The majority of the federal funding, $461.4 million, for DIA comes from the
AIP. Not all of this amount has been transferred to DIA. As of September 1,
1994, about $302.5 million had been transferred—$132.1 million under a
letter of intent and $170.4 million in other
AIP grants.
1
The remainder will
be distributed by the end of 1999. The
AIP moneys have been used at DIA for
such things as land acquisition, the construction of runways, taxiways, and
aprons, and installation of a rail passenger transportation system. Federal
funds will not be used to fund the automated baggage system. In 1990,
FAA
gave DIA a letter of intent for $351 million;
2
however, this was significantly
reduced because the airport system imposed a passenger facility charge in
January 1992. By law, a portion of certain
AIP moneys must be turned back
if airports impose a passenger facility charge.
In addition to the
AIP moneys received under the letter of intent, DIA
received $170.4 million in other AIP moneys. Most of this
amount—$150.2 million—was granted prior to the 1990 letter of intent. In
fiscal years 1992 and 1993,
DIA also received separate AIP grants (not under
the letter of intent) totaling $20.2 million to procure incursion lighting,
conduct a light rail study, and begin work on a sixth runway.
DIA expects
to receive an additional $50 million in
AIP funds to complete the sixth
runway. An
FAA official told us, however, that FAA has not yet formally
committed this amount. On September 22, 1994, congressional
appropriators approved an amendment to the 1995 Department of
Transportation Appropriations bill to prohibit the planning, engineering,
design, and construction of a sixth runway at
DIA unless the runway is
needed to improve safety or performance.
DIA will receive about $223.6 million of F&E moneys through 2000. Since
1989, the Congress has appropriated $170.3 million in
F&E funds for DIA.
3
This money has been used for new air traffic control facilities; equipment
such as an airport surveillance radar system, instrument landing systems,
approach lights, weather sensors, and navigational aids; and transition
operations from Stapleton International Airport (
SIA) to DIA.
1
A letter of intent is a mechanism used to support projects at primary and reliever airports that will
significantly enhance systemwide airport capacity. Typically, letters of intent allow airports to begin
project development sooner and receive multiyear funding.
2
These funds are not guaranteed. They must be appropriated each year.
3
The congressional appropriation was $170.3 million; however, FAA has reprogrammed about
$2 million to other projects.
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