Information re: GPS and Loran in the Department of Transportation Fiscal 1999 Appropriation Bill HR 4328
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4328, MAKING OMNIBUS CONSOLIDATED AND EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1999 (House of Representatives - October 19, 1998)
AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND
The conference agreement provides $1,900,000,000 for facilities and equipment instead of $2,000,000,000 as proposed by the House and $2,044,683,269 as proposed by the Senate. The bill provides that funds for programs in budget activities one through four have an obligational availability of three years and funds for programs in budget activity five are available for two years, as proposed by the House. The Senate bill made the entire appropriation available for three years. The conference agreement assumes that an additional $100,000,000 will be provided for fiscal year 1999. ……….
Outlay cap.--The conference agreement deletes the provisions proposed by the Senate which would have limited outlays under this account during fiscal year 1999, specified penalties for violations of such cap, and required monthly reports on compliance.
Wide area augmentation system.--The conference agreement modifies language proposed by the Senate on the GPS wide area augmentation system (WAAS). The proponents of this system have argued vigorously that restrictions imposed in the Senate bill would cause the termination of this development program--an outcome not desired at this time by either the House or Senate. Therefore, the conference agreement provides total funding of $85,000,000 to continue the WAAS program.
However, those proponents have not been able to provide compelling assurances that this program will be cost-effective beyond the initial phase, which is expected to become operational early next year. The serious and persistent technical concerns expressed in both the House and Senate reports await resolution by the FAA at an unknown cost and in an unknown timeframe. Because of these concerns, and the need to fund other critical FAA programs in the near term, the agreement includes a provision which prohibits the use of funds under the `Next generation navigation systems' program for any WAAS activities beyond phase I. The conferees intend for FAA to take a `time out' at this point to reassess the justification for the program beyond phase one. The FAA has also expressed some interest in taking a `time out' before proceeding to further phases in this program.
FAA has not appropriately or fairly considered all technology combinations for next generation navigation and landing systems. The extant WAAS benefit-cost study assumes costs for competing systems which may no longer be valid, while benefits for WAAS technology may be overstated. Congress will be unable to adequately judge the need for future appropriations for the wide-area and local-area augmentation systems (WAAS and LAAS, respectively) until FAA completes an up-to-date alternatives analysis which looks at various combinations of existing and new, ground-based and satellite-based technologies.
The following table provides a breakdown of the House and Senate bills and the conference agreement by program:
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT--FISCAL YEAR 1999Loran-C upgrades 10,000.0
[In thousands of dollars]
Title FY 1999 estimate House bill Senate bill Conference agreement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Engieering development, test and evaluation:
Advanced technology development and prototyping [135,857,000] 45,857.0 52,566.0
Subtotal--ADV Dev/prototyping [135,857,000] 45,857.0 52,566.0
Aviation weather services improvements 26,300.0 26,300.0 26,300.0 26,300.0
En route automation 118,000.0 113,000.0
Oceanic automation system 13,700.0 3,237.0
Aeronautical data link (ADL) applications 16,500.0 23,000.0 39,000.0
Next generation VHF A/G communication system 500.0 4,706.0
Air traffic management (ATM) 47,800.0 64,300.0 51,200.0
Conflict probe [46,000.0] 41,000.0
Host replacement [72,000.0] 20,000.0
Traffic flow management 3,287.0
Subtotal--En Route Programs 222,800.0 26,300.0 237,830.0 177,500.0
Terminal digital radar (ASR-11)
Terminal automation (START) 74,700.0 74,700.0 74,700.0 99,200.0
Free flight phase I 39,200.0 168,200.0
Runway incursion reduction 9,168.0
Airport technology 5,000.0
Subtotal--Terminal Programs 113,900.0 242,900.0 88,868.0 99,200.0
Local area augmentation system for GPS (LAAS) 6,500.0 6,500.0
Wide area augmentation system (WAAS) 101,500.0 117,500.0
Next generation navigation systems 129,875.0 92,000.0
Next generation landing systems 34,175.0
Navigation and surveillance 13,285.0
The remainder of the FAA Facilities and Equipment Appropriations follows but is not included here.
Note that the House figure for loran upgrades is $5 million but was not inserted in the above.
The funding for loran of $7 million agreed to in conference is included in the $92 million for Next Generation Navigation Systems. There is additional language to cover the application of the $92 million later in the Conference Report and is inserted below.
Next generation navigation systems.--The conference agreement provides $92,000,000 for next generation navigation systems, which includes $85,000,000 for further development of the GPS wide area augmentation system (WAAS) and $7,000,000 for further development of the LORAN-C navigation system. The FAA is directed not to reprogram any of the LORAN-C funding to the WAAS program. Further discussion of the conference agreement on WAAS is provided in an earlier section of this report.
Next generation landing systems.--The conference agreement provides $34,175,000 for next generation landing systems, to be distributed as follows:
LAAS RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT $6,500,000
LAAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS COSTS $675,000
INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEMS (ILS) $24,000,000
TRANSPONDER LANDING SYSTEMS (TLS) $3,000,000
Total $34,175,000
In addition the Senate authorized a further $35 million in fiscal 2000 for continuation of the Loran-C upgrade progam
Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1998, 1999, and 2000 (Engrossed Senate Amendment)
(a) FISCAL YEARS 1999 AND 2000- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Transportation, in addition to the funds authorized for the Coast Guard for operation of the LORAN-C System, for capital expenses related to LORAN-C navigation infrastructure, $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, and $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2000. The Secretary of Transportation may transfer from the Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies of the department funds appropriated as authorized under this section in order to reimburse the Coast Guard for related expenses.
(b) REPORT- Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on cost-sharing arrangements among Federal agencies for such capital expenses related to LORAN-C navigation infrastructure, including, but not limited to, the Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Within the Coast Guard Acquisition, Construction and Improvements account the following statement refers to the National DGPS system:
Nationwide differential global positioning system.--Within the ``Acquisition, construction, and improvements'' account, the conferees have provided $7,500,000 for differential global positioning system (DGPS) equipment, of which $5,500,000 is for electronic equipment costs, site preparation and construction work, and installation of conversion software at Air Force ground wave emergency network transmitter sites throughout the continental United States under the nationwide DGPS program. The conference agreement directs that, of funds made available under Coast Guard ``Operating expenses'', sufficient operating funds be made available to support this NDGPS activity. The agreement notes that, in the future, these sites may be operated by other DOT personnel through a memorandum of agreement between the Coast Guard and the Federal Railroad Administration or the Federal Highway Administration.