Legislative Update: Senate, House Committees Approve Surface Transportation BillsFebruary 2012 |
Also on February 2, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs completed work on the public transportation section of the Senate version of the surface transportation bill, which is a two-year bill. The committee approved the authorization of a new Appalachian Development Public Transportation Program. The program is authorized at a funding level of $20 million a year, and funds would be distributed according to ARC's highway distribution formula. In late 2011 the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved the highway title of the legislation, which would eliminate dedicated funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System but make the ADHS an activity for which states could use a new Transportation Mobility block grant. It does not appear that access roads would be eligible for funding under this block grant.
The measure will now go to the Senate floor for consideration.