La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § I-107

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-107 - Emergency Airstrip for Agricultural Purposes Program

A. Creation. There is hereby established within the Department of Agriculture and Forestry a program to designate certain roads as emergency airstrips to aid in the use of aircraft for agricultural purposes to be known as the "Emergency Airstrip for Agricultural Purposes Program."

B. Declaration of Emergency

1. The department may declare an agricultural emergency to exist which requires the use of portions of designated roads as airstrips for agricultural purposes when conditions are such that agricultural turf airstrips are rendered unavailable for safe use.

2. Each declaration of agricultural emergency shall be in writing and contain a declaration number, the date, and a list of the portions of designated roads which may be utilized as airstrips during the agricultural emergency.

3. The department shall provide a copy of the declaration to the sheriff and police jury for the parish in which each of the designated roads is located, and the aviation division of the State Department of Transportation and Development (hereinafter referred to as "DOTD") prior to utilization of the emergency airstrip. If the designated road is a state road, a copy of the declaration should also be provided to the communications center at State Police Headquarters and to the secretary of DOTD. If a designated road is located on the parish line, a copy of the declaration must be provided to the sheriff and police jury for both parishes.

4. The appropriate law enforcement entity as set forth in Paragraph B.3 above shall be responsible for implementing security and safety requirements for road traffic during periods when a road designated for use as an emergency airstrip to aid in the use of aircraft for agricultural purposes is actually utilized for that purpose. At a minimum, the appropriate law enforcement entity shall have at least one officer at the site and signs shall be placed at each end and at all approach ramps of a designated road to notify persons that the road is designated for use as an emergency airstrip to aid in the use of aircraft for agricultural purposes. The officer will insure that whenever aircraft are in the process of landing, taking off, or taxiing, there shall be no movement of vehicles on the emergency airstrip or within 500 feet of each landing threshold of the emergency airstrip. The enforcement entity providing said officer shall have the option of cost recovery for services from the party requesting use of the emergency airstrip.

C. Designation of Roads

1. Upon declaration by the department that an agricultural emergency exists, certain roads, including but not limited to dead-end roads and strategically placed parish roads, may be designated by the department for use as airstrips to aid in the use of aircraft for agricultural purposes.

2. Whenever possible, the department shall pre-designate a portion of a road for use as an emergency agricultural airstrip for use in the event a declaration of an agricultural emergency is made by the department. The request for pre-designation must be made by mail or facsimile to the department and include the following information:

a. location of the road marked on a topography map;

b. reason for designation; and

c. a statement that the road meets all the criteria set forth in Paragraph C.3 or a statement setting forth the reasons why a waiver under Paragraph C.4 should be issued.

3. Predesignated emergency agricultural airstrips shall be inspected and registered by DOTD Aviation using similar criteria as utilized by DOTD in the registration of an agricultural use permanent airstrip. The registration certificate shall be issued to and held by the department. The registered and designated airstrip shall be marked and signed as such. Persons seeking predesignation must contact the aviation division of DOTD for specifications regarding the appropriate marking and signage required for the registered and designated emergency airstrip.

4. The department may authorize use of airstrips which have not been pre-designated and registered with the aviation division of DOTD, on a case-by-case basis, when safety and aircraft performance would not be compromised by such waiver and the use of said road as an emergency agricultural airstrip is deemed necessary by the department. Any such airstrip authorized shall, at a minimum, meet all of the following:

a. the surface must be flat and straight for a minimum distance to 2,000 feet;

b. the width shall be a minimum of 20 feet for the full length of the landing area. Sufficient wing tip clearance shall be provided as required for the aircraft utilizing the emergency agricultural airstrip;

c. there shall be no potholes or depressions greater than 3 inches in depth over the entire landing surface;

d. there shall be no vertical obstructions such as utility poles, trees, buildings, road signs, mail boxes, etc., on more than one longitudinal side of the landing surface;

e. there shall be no overhead obstructions such as utility lines, overpasses, bridges, etc., for the full length of the landing area and within 500 feet of each landing area threshold;

f. each landing area threshold shall be marked in such a way as to be readily identified from an aircraft in flight (e.g., white or orange cones, buckets, or painted tires); and

g. threshold markers shall be placed on either side of the landing area at the thresholds and shall be no taller than 24 inches.

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § I-107

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of the Commissioner, LR 23:703 (June 1997).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:18.