Duties and responsibilities of the Department of Transportation.

The Department of Transportation shall, within the resources provided to the department:

(1) Provide coordination and assistance for the development of a viable aviation system in this state. To support the system, a statewide aviation system plan shall be developed and periodically updated which summarizes 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year airport and aviation needs within the state. The statewide aviation system plan shall be consistent with the goals of the Florida Transportation Plan developed pursuant to s. 339.155. The statewide aviation system plan shall not preempt local airport master plans adopted in compliance with federal and state requirements.

(2) Advise and assist the Governor in all aviation matters.

(3) Upon request, assist airport sponsors, both financially and technically, in airport master planning.

(4) Upon request, provide financial and technical assistance to public agencies that own public-use airports by making department personnel and department-owned facilities and equipment available on a cost-reimbursement basis to such agencies for special needs of limited duration. The requirement relating to reimbursement of personnel costs may be waived by the department in those cases in which the assistance provided by its personnel was of a limited nature or duration.

(5) Participate in research and development programs relating to airports.

(6) Administer department participation in the program of aviation and airport grants as provided for in ss. 332.003-332.007.

(7) Develop, promote, and distribute supporting information and educational services, including, but not limited to, educational services with a focus on retention and growth of the aviation industry workforce.

(8) Encourage the maximum allocation of federal funds to local public-use airport projects in this state.

(9) Support the development of land located within the boundaries of airports for the purpose of industrial or other uses compatible with airport operations with the objective of assisting airports in this state to become fiscally self-supporting. Such assistance may include providing state moneys on a matching basis to airport sponsors for capital improvements, including, but not limited to, fixed-base operation facilities, parking areas, industrial park utility systems, and road and rail transportation systems which are on airport property.