Had to create a thread for this, as it didn't really fit elsewhere...

 

Federal rail dollars sit idle

Rep. Mica letter criticizes DOT’s handling of RRIF money

October 15, 2010

 

 

Republican leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today called for the Obama administration to cut the red tape tying up tens of billions of dollars in available rail infrastructure financing and withdraw a proposed policy that would only increase the program’s bureaucratic obstacles.

 

Transportation Committee Republican leader John L. Mica (R-Fla.) and Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee top Republican Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) wrote to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to outline their concerns with DOT’s implementation of the $35 billion Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program. (Link to full Mica-Shuster letter) http://republicans.transportation.house.gov/Media/file/111th/Railroads/2010-10-15-RRIF_Letter.pdf )

 

Full story at: http://www.roadsbridges.com/Federal-rail-dollars-sit-idle-newsPiece21784

APTA’s “Principles for a Legislative Framework”   

Wednesday, October 20, 2010 

 

The American Public Transportation Association has adopted a comprehensive set of “Principles for a Legislative Framework” for what it and many other rail industry advocates believe should be a stable, regular source of federal funds for high speed and intercity passenger rail (“HSIPR”).

 

APTA is pushing for “a separate HSIPR title in Surface Transportation Authorization Legislation” that “shall be included in the next authorization of federal surface transportation laws, funded by other than Highway Trust Fund revenues.”

 

Full story at: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/apta-s-principles-for-a-legislative-framework.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          Contact: Sheridan Chaney, Aileron Communications

                                                312-629-9400, ex. 14, [email protected]

 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW & POLICY CENTER COMMENDS

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FUNDING OF 

STRATEGIC CORRIDOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECTS

 

CHICAGO, October 25, 2010 — The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) today commended the Federal Railroad Administration for doubling down its strategic funding of regional high-speed projects, concentrating funding on Florida, California and the Midwest.

 

Based on Congressional announcements today, the largest recipients will be Florida at $800 million, California at $902 million for Los Angeles to San Francisco and the Midwest, expected to receive $230 million for the Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City corridor and $150 million for the Dearborn-Kalamazoo corridor in Michigan.

 

The Midwest region previously received $1.2 billion for the Chicago-St. Louis line, $810 million to connect Madison and Milwaukee, and $400 million to establish the 3C services in Ohio, connecting Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Dayton.

 

Howard Learner, ELPC President and a nationally recognized expert on high-speed passenger rail today offered support for the latest round of grants.

 

“Every project funded moves us closer to realizing Transportation Secretary LaHood’s prediction that that 85 percent of Americans will be connected via high-speed rail within 25 years. This is the beginning of a transformation to our nation’s transportation system, giving people a travel option that is good for jobs, good for business, and good for the environment,” Learner stated.

 

“President Obama recognizes that we can’t build a 21st century economy on a 19th century infrastructure. In this economic climate, taxpayers must maximize the return on their investment because the costs will never be lower and the jobs never more needed, which is why some of the states hardest hit by the recession have committed scarce dollars to ensure these critical projects move forward,” he added.

 

Currently, the Obama Administration has invested $10.5 billion in high-speed rail projects, with an additional $1 billion per year pledged four each of the next four years. The House Transportation Committee has also recommended including $50 billion for high-speed rail development in the upcoming transportation reauthorization legislation.

 

President Obama recently proposed funding increases for high-speed rail as part of $50 billion in proposed infrastructure improvements. Under that initiative, high-speed rail would be put on an equal footing in the federal surface transportation program. This fundamental policy change would ensure a sustained and effective commitment to a national high speed rail system over the next generation. Specifically, the proposal calls for the nation to build and maintain 4,000 miles of rail.

 

About ELPC: The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. Executive Director Howard Learner is available for comment on high-speed rail initiatives. To schedule an interview, call 312-629-9400. To learn more about the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s high-speed rail advocacy, visit www.highspeedrailworks.org.

Release from the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

 

Getting Real on Rail: An Interview with the Administrator of the FRA

 

(Washington DC) – In an exclusive interview with Transportation TV, FRA Administrator Joe Szabo puts the nation’s rail system into perspective. During the interview Szabo addressed the current and future challenges facing freight rail in America and speaks candidly about the difficulties some high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects are facing.

 

The primary focus of the interview is the FRA’s National Rail Plan: Moving Forward -- a Progress Report, which Administrator Szabo called an important update. “Our national rail plan is what I call an evolving document. We believe it’s important that given what we’re finding that we put it out in somewhat more bite-sized pieces that our stakeholders can more easily digest,” Szabo said.

 

According to the report, in 25 years 70 million more people will be living in densely populated urban centers called mega-regions. “Our analysis so far has determined that each citizen on the average accounts for about 40 tons of freight that has to be hauled each year,” said Szabo. “Now, anticipating this population growth of additional 70 million people, you do the math – we’re talking about 2.8 billion tons of additional freight that’s going to have to be moved over the next couple of decades. How are we going to do that? A National Rail Plan can provide the answers.”

 

Szabo said a series of forums were held to gather community input for the report and to increase public awareness.  He said the most important message that “on the freight side we need to grow the share of goods that are moved by rail and on the passenger side we need to increase the number of people using alternative modes of transportation. It’s the only way America is going to see significant reductions in traffic congestion and oil consumption and improve the quality of the air we breathe.”

 

Szabo also talked about the essential role state transportation departments must play in both the development and implementation of a National Rail Plan.

 

Watch the interview in its entirety on the View from the Administration Channel at: www.TransportationTV.org and find out more information about National Rail Plan at: www.fra.dot.gov

 

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The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the “Voice of Transportation” representing State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/aashtospeaks

 

Key GOP lawmaker cool to high-speed rail grants

ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

WASHINGTON -- The Republican lawmaker in line to head the House Transportation Committee says he wants to re-examine $10 billion in federal grants for high-speed train service, one of President Barack Obama's signature programs.

 

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., the committee's ranking GOP member, told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday that he believes high-speed trains are a good idea, but he doesn't agree with the projects selected by the Transportation Department for funding.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4925914