Up to $51B in transportation grant awards at risk, advocacy group says

Dive Temporary:

• As much as $51 billion in federal funds which were awarded by the U.S. Division of Transportation however not but obligated might be defunded, in line with a March 14 evaluation by Transportation for America, a transportation advocacy group. 
• Rural and Midwestern states could lose essentially the most funds on a per-person foundation, particularly for initiatives associated to street security, electrical car infrastructure and transportation local weather resilience.
• The group analyzed a leaked policy memo from the DOT’s Workplace of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Coverage directing company heads to assessment all awards missing grant agreements and partially obligated grant agreements. 

Dive Perception:

The memo cites presidential govt orders and a earlier order and memorandum by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that orders company directors to establish and eradicate guidelines, laws and funding agreements that embrace or reference local weather change, racial fairness or environmental justice amongst different standards. 

On March 10, Duffy introduced in a press launch the rescission of two Biden-era memoranda. These included policies aimed at improving road safety, making streets and transportation infrastructure accessible to these with disabilities, and fostering renewable vitality and electrical car charging stations. The newest DOT coverage memo targets bicycle infrastructure as properly.

“Whereas it’s regular for a brand new administration to set its personal agenda, it has at all times utilized to spending and coverage going ahead,” Transportation for America mentioned in a web-based put up. “This administration is setting the precedent that any mission not underway might be undone when there’s a new president.”

Examples of applications that might be impacted embrace the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program: simply $515 million has been obligated throughout 979 grants, leaving practically $2.4 billion in danger. Of the $7.6 billion introduced beneath the RAISE/BUILD program, which supplies grants for floor transportation infrastructure initiatives for fiscal years 2022 by means of 2025, solely $1.25 billion or much less has been secured and obligated, in line with Transportation for America.

The group additionally warns of potential additional motion, noting that the present memo solely applies to aggressive grants. “There may be good cause to anticipate that this administration will develop this assessment to cowl different applications, too, in the event that they discover they don’t agree with how states, areas, localities, and transit businesses are utilizing the funds,” the put up states.