(a) In a manner authorized by the Administrator, each certificate holder must provide and maintain, for each runway and taxiway that is available for air carrier use, a safety area of at least the dimensions that—

1. (1) Existed on December 31, 1987, if the runway or taxiway had a safety area on December 31, 1987, and if no reconstruction or significant expansion of the runway or taxiway was begun on or after January 1, 1988; or
2. (2) Are authorized by the Administrator at the time the construction, reconstruction, or expansion began if construction, reconstruction, or significant expansion of the runway or taxiway began on or after January 1, 1988.

(b) Each certificate holder must maintain its safety areas as follows:

1. (1) Each safety area must be cleared and graded and have no potentially hazardous ruts, humps, depressions, or other surface variations.
2. (2) Each safety area must be drained by grading or storm sewers to prevent water accumulation.
3. (3) Each safety area must be capable under dry conditions of supporting snow removal and aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment and of supporting the occasional passage of aircraft without causing major damage to the aircraft.
4. (4) No objects may be located in any safety area, except for objects that need to be located in a safety area because of their function. These objects must be constructed, to the extent practical, on frangibly mounted structures of the lowest practical height, with the frangible point no higher than 3 inches above grade.