N.Y. Transportation Law § 14-j: Special rail and aviation transportation program

§ 14-j. Special rail and aviation transportation program. 1. The

commissioner is hereby authorized to enter into a contract, lease or

agreement with the New York state thruway authority for the financing by

such authority of special rail and aviation transportation program as

authorized by law.

2. The commissioner is hereby authorized to approve funding for the

costs for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, reconditioning

and preservation of rail freight facilities and for the cost of

intercity rail passenger facilities and equipment. For rail freight

projects, the commissioner shall give priority to projects which are

coordinated with community economic development objectives, improve the

safety of rail operations, promote intermodal services, provide rail

access to relieve highway congestion, provide for the efficient

restructuring of urban rail facilities or facilitate the transition of

branch lines from large operations to shortline operations. For

intercity rail passenger facilities and equipment projects, priority

will be given to projects which improve the quality, performance, speed

and safety of intercity rail services.

3. The commissioner is hereby authorized to approve funding for the

cost of construction, reconstruction, improvement, reconditioning and

preservation of municipal airports, privately owned airports and

aviation capital facilities, excluding airports owned by the state or

operated by a bi-state public benefit corporation, for which federal

funding is not available provided projects are part of an approved

airport layout plan. Such improvements shall include, but not be limited

to, acquisition of certain traffic control navigational aids utilizing

the global positioning system technologies and applications.

Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, for airports

funded pursuant to this section, the owner of a municipal airport may,

with the approval of the commissioner, contract directly with the office

of general services to provide for the removal of fuel tanks under such

terms and conditions as set forth by the office of general services,

including provision for the deposit of funds of such airport with the

state comptroller, who is authorized to receive and accept the same for

the purposes of this subdivision, for expenditure on such project costs

or, as appropriate, for the return of any excess deposit to such

airport, on vouchers approved by the office of general services.

4. The program shall provide forty million dollars to be made

available as follows:

Rail Aviation

State Fiscal Year 1993-1994 $7.5 million $2.5 million

State Fiscal Year 1994-1995 $7.5 million $2.5 million

State Fiscal Year 1995-1996 $7.5 million $2.5 million

State Fiscal Year 1996-1997 $7.5 million $2.5 million