Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) Program

This program is currently being developed to conform to the requirements contained in legislation. It is not expected to be completed in time for FY 2004 AIP funding. The following information outlines the formulation of the program and requirements to be met to qualify for funding.

Overview:   The Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, signed into law on December 12, 2003 (P.L. 108-176), directs the FAA to establish a national voluntary program to reduce airport ground emissions at commercial service airports located in air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas.    (List of eligible airports)  The new Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) program will allow airport sponsors to use the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) to finance low emission vehicles, refueling and recharging stations, gate electrification, and other airport air quality improvements.

Issuance of Program Guidance Letter (PGL): The Office of Airports will announce the VALE program with a PGL to FAA Regional Airports Division and Airport District Offices and to national aviation and airport associations. The PGL will contain information necessary to establish eligibility and the procedures to submit an application. Some of the attachments expected to be provided with the PGL are explained below.

• FAA Technical Report on Airport and Project Eligibility: Program guidance will include a Technical Report with detailed information on airport and project eligibility. The report will list commercial service airports that are eligible for the program and describe the program planning and application process. Main areas of the report will be project eligibility (vehicle and equipment, fuel, ownership, and usage), program vehicle low emission standards, cost effectiveness criteria, and project reporting requirements. FAA Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS) enhancements for the VALE program will be described with instructions on how to use EDMS and other tools to assess emission savings.
• EPA and FAA National Guidance on Airport Emissions Reduction Credits: The Vision-100 Act requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the FAA, to establish guidance on how airport sponsors will receive appropriate airport emission reduction credits (AERCs) for VALE projects. State air quality agencies must provide assurances to the FAA that airport sponsors will receive AERCs prior to AIP and PFC funding. This guidance will outline how airport sponsors apply for and receive AERCs and how AERCs can be used to meet general conformity and new source review requirements under the Clean Air Act.

Second Program Guidance Letter on Airport GSE Retrofit Pilot Program:  Vision-100 authorizes an AIP pilot program to evaluate the benefits of retrofitting existing ground support equipment (GSE) that burns conventional fuels with emission control technologies certified by the EPA. The pilot program will provide 10 airports with grants of up to $500,000 per airport. Emission reduction benefits achieved under the pilot program will also be eligible for AERCs.

Link to Information on Air Quality Models will be added -- It will direct interested parties to more about the FAA EDMS model and the EPA MOBILE model.