Overview
- A government draft published Tuesday would extend the Regionallastenausgleichsgesetz from January 1, 2027 through 2031 and preserve an annual funding envelope of about €4.5 million for communities near Frankfurt Airport.
- The reform tightens allocation rules by factoring in recent noise measurements, current population figures and changed flight routes, with a stronger emphasis on nighttime aircraft noise.
- The list of eligible municipalities falls from 21 to 20, with Erzhausen added and Trebur and Groß‑Gerau removed, producing clear winners and losers in the new distribution.
- Individual payments shift significantly under the draft: Offenbach’s annual share rises to roughly €590,000 while several other towns also see notable increases or cuts based on the new key.
- The proposal broadens permitted uses of the money to quality‑of‑life measures such as education, childcare, leisure and climate advice, lets municipalities fund flight‑noise monitoring, and requires consultations followed by Landtag approval plus a mandatory two‑year 'half‑time' review to reassess the split.