(a) An amended airport permit shall be required for every expansion of an existing airport. An applicant for an amended airport permit shall comply with each requirement of this article pertaining to permits for new airports. The department may by regulation provide for exemptions from the operation of this section pursuant to Section 21661, except that no exemption shall be made limiting the applicability of subdivision (e) of Section 21666, pertaining to environmental considerations, including the requirement for public hearings in connection therewith.
(b) As used in this section, “airport expansion” includes any of the following:
(1) The acquisition of runway protection zones, as defined in Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 150/1500-13, or of any interest in land for the purpose of any other expansion as set forth in this section.
(2) The construction of a new runway.
(3) The extension or realignment of an existing runway.
(4) Any other expansion of the airport’s physical facilities for the purpose of accomplishing or which are related to the purpose of paragraph (1), (2), or (3).
(c) This section does not apply to any expansion of an existing airport if the expansion commenced on or prior to the effective date of this section and the expansion met the approval, on or prior to that effective date, of each governmental agency that required the approval by law.