(a) Under the Federal Airport Act, the FAA prepares each year a “National Airport Plan” for developing public airports in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. In terms of general location and type of development, the National Airport Plan specifies the maximum limits of airport development that is necessary to provide a system of public airports adequate to anticipate and meet the needs of civil aeronautics.

(b) If, within the forecast period, an airport will have a substantial aeronautical necessity, it may be included in the National Airport Plan. Only work on an airport included in the current Plan is eligible for inclusion in the Federal-aid Airport Program to be undertaken within currently available appropriations and authorizations. However, the inclusion of an airport in the National Airport Plan does not commit the United States to include it in the Federal-aid Airport Program. In addition, the local community concerned is not required to proceed with planning or development of an airport included in the National Airport Plan.