(a)
The department may also acquire existing airports and air navigation facilities, but it shall not acquire any airport or air navigation facility owned or controlled by a political subdivision of this or any other state without the consent of the political subdivision.
(b)
Whenever an airport owned or operated by the United States in this state ceases to be so owned or operated, the department, in consultation with local and regional transportation planning agencies, may evaluate the present and future need for the airport in the state’s public-use airport system, including the need for both the transportation of people and goods. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine aviation needs and does not eliminate any requirement of the California Environmental Quality Act, Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(c)
Prior to finalizing the evaluation, the department shall submit a copy of its report to the commission for review and comment. The commission shall complete its review and forward any comments to the department not later than 45 days after receiving the evaluation.
(d)
Upon completion of its evaluation, the department may make a recommendation to the Legislature, the commission, the affected local agencies, and the appropriate federal agency for the airport’s ownership and type of operation as a public-use airport, if the department determines that the airport would be of significant benefit to the state’s airport system. It is the intent of the Legislature that the department, in making its recommendation, give priority for ownership and operation of these public-use airports to a local political subdivision or subdivisions acting jointly.
(e)
Notwithstanding Section 21606, if a political subdivision or subdivisions acting jointly notify the department of their intentions to prepare a reuse plan for the airport, and simultaneously apply to the Federal Aviation Administration for a federal grant to develop an airport master plan for the airport, the department shall not make its recommendation pursuant to subdivision (d). If the department’s evaluation determines that the airport would be of significant benefit to the state’s airport system, and the political subdivision or subdivisions acting jointly fail to convert the federal airport to a civil public-use airport in accordance with the department’s evaluation within five years of notification to the department, or fail to evidence substantial progress toward that purpose as determined by the department, then the department may take action in accordance with subdivision (f).
(f)
If the department determines the airport is of present or future benefit to the state’s public-use airport system, and no political subdivision applies to the appropriate federal agency to acquire or operate the airport, or has notified the department of its intention to prepare a reuse plan for the airport and thereafter fails to act upon its application pursuant to subdivision (e), the department may, subject to subdivision (g), assist in the formation of a public entity to own and operate the airport which shall be representative of political subdivisions in the area which surrounds and is served by the airport, as determined by the department. If established, the owning and operating entity may, subject to subdivision (g), prepare and submit an application to the appropriate federal agency to acquire or operate, or acquire and operate, the airport as a public airport.
(g)
Notwithstanding subdivision (f), if any political subdivision has previously applied to the appropriate federal agency to acquire and operate the airport as a public airport, has completed all required environmental and fiscal evaluations, and subsequently withdrew its application prior to December 31, 1988, the department shall not file any application to acquire or operate the airport or assist in the formation of a public entity to own and operate the airport.