(a) The general assembly finds and declares that:

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 4-31-602

  • Airport: means and includes any one (1) or more airports or heliports and related facilities of an airport authority or municipal airport, including, but not limited to, land and interests in land, facilities for storage of air and space craft, navigation and landing aids, taxiways, pads, aprons, control towers, passenger and cargo terminal buildings, hangars, administration and office buildings, garages, parking lots, and such other structures, facilities and improvements necessary or convenient to the development and maintenance of airports and heliports, and for the promotion and accommodation of air and space travel, commerce and navigation. See Tennessee Code 4-31-603
  • Authority: means the Tennessee local development authority, a public agency and instrumentality of the state, created by this chapter, or if such authority shall be abolished, the board, body, commission or agency succeeding to the principal functions thereof or to which the powers and duties granted or imposed upon the authority shall be given by law. See Tennessee Code 4-31-102
  • Construction: means the building, reconstruction, creation, replacement, extension, repair, betterment, improvement, installation, alteration, equipping, extension, development, acquisition by gift, lease, purchase, or the exercise of the right of eminent domain, or any one (1) or more of the foregoing, including the acquisition of property and rights in property, real and personal. See Tennessee Code 4-31-603
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: means the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 4-31-102
(1) The construction of safety improvements for airports is an essential function of airport authorities, municipal airports, and state and local governments;
(2) The construction of projects for airport improvements, for the mitigation of noise created by activity of an airport, for the acquisition of property and rights in property, real and personal, relating thereto, and the financing of such, are essential functions of airport authorities, municipal airports, and state and local governments; and
(3) To the extent that financing of improvements, safety improvements and noise mitigation for airport authorities and municipal airports can be accomplished through the pooling of needs and the use of less costly borrowing techniques, airport authorities, municipal airports and local governments would be better able to provide improvements, safety improvements and noise mitigation for the benefit of citizens.
(b)

(1) It is accordingly in furtherance of the interest and welfare of all Tennesseans that the Tennessee local development authority be empowered to issue its revenue bonds and to make proceeds available for loans to airport authorities and municipal airports for improvements, safety improvements and noise mitigation projects at a cost lower than would otherwise be obtainable.
(2) It is intended that the Tennessee local development authority be vested with all powers necessary to accomplish these purposes.