Historic Investments to Rebuild America’s Transportation Infrastructure, Spur Economic Growth are On the Way as IIJA Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, applauded House passage today of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which provides record investments in the nation’s infrastructure, including provisions in the Cantwell-led bipartisan Surface Transportation Investment Act (STIA). The IIJA passed the Senate in August.

“This bill delivers an historic investment in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and in equipping Washington state to compete and succeed in a global economy,” said Sen. Cantwell.  “Whether it’s moving people safely, delivering goods, reducing congestion, protecting coastal habitats, or expanding broadband, these investments are key to creating jobs and building a strong and sustainable economic future.”

Immediately before its passage in August, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor regarding several critical new investments she secured in the bill including: new funding for regional megaprojects; the first dedicated program to eliminate congestion-causing rail crossings; the first federal initiative to remove salmon-blocking culverts; authorization and expansion of the Minority Business Development Agency; and increased funding for a range of coastal resilience, salmon habitat restoration, and climate programs. 

Rebuilding and Improving Transportation Infrastructure, Safety

 Megaprojects Grant Program -- $5 billion

• Led by Sen. Cantwell, this new program provides dedicated funding to support large, multimodal, multijurisdictional projects that are critical to our economy, but too large or complex for existing funding programs.

 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program -- $8 billion

• Provides increased funding to support nationally and regionally significant freight and highway projects. 

 Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program -- $7.5 billion

• Authorizes, for the first time, U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) RAISE (formerly BUILD) grant program, providing funding for small to mid-sized projects of local and regional importance.

 Passenger and Freight Rail:

• $3 billion for Cantwell-led highway-rail grade crossing elimination grant program, the first-ever dedicated grant program that local communities can access to address dangerous and costly at-grade crossing delays. 
• $5 billion for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CRISI) grants to improve passenger and freight rail transportation systems.
• $12 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration to expand the passenger rail network through multi-year planning and construction grants.
• $46 billion for Amtrak’s National Network and Northeast Corridor to address the state of good repair backlog, including replacing Amtrak’s aging passenger cars.
• The bill also requires the Surface Transportation Board to hire additional staff to enforce Amtrak’s preference rights to ensure freight railroads allow Amtrak trains to run on time.

National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant Program -- $1 billion

• Led by Sen. Cantwell, this creates the first federal program aimed to remove, replace, or restore culverts, which will enable the recovery of salmon passage and habitats.

Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program -- $500 million

• Provides funding to states, cities, and localities to pursue smart transportation projects that increase transportation efficiency and safety, and will advance connected vehicles, intelligent transportation systems integration, and support technological transportation advancements in communities nationwide.

Safety:

• $7 billion for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs, research, and education to improve driver behavior and roadway safety.
• $5 billion for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) commercial motor vehicle safety programs to help states address highway fatalities, combat human trafficking, and improve law enforcement training.
• $5 billion for a new Safe Streets for All program to help local governments carry out Vision Zero plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities, especially for cyclists and pedestrians.
• $750 million to modernize state and federal crash databases to enable better data sharing and research into motor vehicle crashes.
• $1 billion to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for grants to community-owned utilities to replace outdated gas pipelines in order to reduce injuries and fatalities and prepare our infrastructure for cleaner fuels.
• The bill also requires life-saving technology on new motor vehicles, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, advanced drunk driving prevention technology, and other mandates to improve road safety.

Port Infrastructure Development Grant Program – $2.25 billion

• Provides competitive grants to improve facilities, operations and intermodal connections to coastal seaports, river and Great Lakes ports. Funds will support projects to decarbonize port infrastructure, improve movement of goods through our nation’s ports, and enhance port resiliency.  

 Marine Highway Program (MARAD) - $25 million

• Provides funding to improve utilization of the 26 "Marine Highway Routes" which provide relief to landside corridors suffering from severe traffic congestion, air emissions or other environmental challenges.

Aviation

• $15 billion for airport infrastructure grants, similar to traditional Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds. Airports would have flexibility to address broader needs like terminal and gate construction, multi-modal projects, and low-emission ground service vehicles.
• $5 billion to fund a new Airport Terminal Improvement program at DOT for terminal development projects to improve aging infrastructure. The program will target projects that increase airport capacity and passenger access, and that improve energy efficiency.
• $5 billion to upgrade Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control facilities and equipment. $200 million is reserved for FAA-owned contract towers.

 Rural and Tribal Infrastructure Advancement

• Establishes a pilot program to provide financial, technical, and legal assistance to help rural and Tribal communities better compete for discretionary funding and transportation financing programs.

 Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy

• Creates a new Office within DOT to centralize and elevate the Department’s freight efforts. This office will serve as a one-stop-shop responsible for developing and managing national freight policy and grant programs.

 Research authorization -- $1 billion

• Authorizes funds for new and existing research and development programs at the Department of Transportation.

 Hazardous Materials Safety authorization -- $500 million

• Authorizes funds to improve first responder planning and training for hazardous material incidents

Growing Minority-Owned Businesses

 Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) – $550 million

• Led by Sen. Cantwell, the bill expands and makes permanent this Commerce Department agency which aims to promote the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses by providing technical assistance, access to capital, and market opportunities.

 Expanding Access to Affordable, High-Speed Internet 

Broadband – $65 billion

• $42.45 billion for a new National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) grant program that will provide grants to states to deploy broadband.
• $14.2 billion to make permanent the Affordable Connectivity Benefit that will help ensure low-income families have access to reliable, high-speed internet.
• $1 billion to establish a “Middle Mile” grant program that will allow broadband providers, utilities, electric co-operatives, regional planning entities, non-profits, and others to receive grant funding for deployment of middle mile broadband infrastructure in order to get affordable high-speed internet to unserved areas.  
• $2 billion for Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grants for broadband deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning.
• $2 billion for the Department of Agriculture to support broadband deployment in rural areas.
• $2.75 billion to establish two NTIA-administered grant programs to promote digital equity and inclusion, ensuring that all communities and community members have the tools necessary to take advantage of broadband connection.

 Boosting Coastal Resilience, Protecting Natural Habitats, Advancing Weather Forecasting through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

 Habitat Restoration and Community Resilience Grants - $491 million

• Funding will support competitive grants for shovel worthy coastal restoration and resiliency projects across multiple programs.

National Ocean and Coastal Security Fund (NOCRF) - $492 million

• The NOCRF competitive grant program funds natural infrastructure needed to protect coastal communities while also enhancing habitat for fish and wildlife.

Community-Based Restoration Program: Fish Passage Barrier Removal Grants - $400 million

• Funding for projects that support restoration of fish passage through the removal of in-stream barriers such as culverts, small dams, dikes and other infrastructure.

Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) - $172 million

• Funding to support habitat restoration projects for Endangered Species Act-listed salmon stocks in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska, as well as federally recognized Tribes of the Columbia River and the Pacific Coast (including Alaska).

Coastal Zone Enhancement Technical Assistance and Grants - $207 million

• Funding to increase technical assistance and grants to coastal state to advance projects that address wetlands, coastal hazards, public access, marine debris, cumulative and secondary impacts, special area management plans, ocean and Great Lakes resources, energy and government facility siting, and aquaculture.  

National Estuarine Research Reserves System Program (NERRS) - $77 million

• Provides funding for collaborative research within the NERRS network of 29 coastal sites designated to protect and study estuarine systems.

Permitting - $20 million

• Funding to support NOAA’s efforts to complete environmental permits for restoration and other infrastructure projects such as bridges, roads, and ports.

Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROPs) - $56 million 

• Funding to allow ROPs to coordinate interstate and intertribal management of ocean, Great Lakes, and coastal resources, including set-asides to enhance Tribal participation and engagement.

Fire Weather – $100 million   

• Funding will be used to expand and develop NOAA’s fire weather activities through the upgrade and replacement of data collection systems, improved modeling for better forecasts and hazard prediction, and improved tools that support land management agencies and emergency managers.

High Performance Computing (Super and Cloud Computing) – $80 million  

• Funding to increase NOAA computing capacity for weather and climate model development used in predicting and forecasting droughts, floods, and wildfires that will help save lives. 

Coastal, Ocean, and Great Lakes Observing Systems – $150 million  

• Funding will be used to upgrade the nation’s buoy and ocean observation network, including installation and implementation of high-frequency radar systems, underwater gliders to detect harmful algal blooms, and ensure safe navigation.

Flood Mapping, Forecasting, and Water Modeling - $492 million

• Funding will support NOAA’s inland flood mapping program, which funds programs for planning and prevention for communities and States, and improved forecasting and flood modeling capabilities that will help in planning and protecting lives and property.

National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) – $26 million

• Funding to create a pilot program for improved data acquisition on soil moisture and snowpack in the Upper Missouri River Basin, and to support a study to assess the contribution of soil moisture, snowpack, and other network data to improve weather and climate forecasting products on the local, regional, and national levels.

Marine Debris Assessment, Mitigation, and Removal - $200 million

• The NOAA Marine Debris Program provides grants for removal, habitat restoration, emergency response and research to address trash and pollution in the ocean.

Sport Fish and Recreational Boating Safety Trust Fund

• Includes reauthorization of the Trust Fund which supports about $650 million annually to state fish and wildlife agencies to fund fishery restoration and conservation programs, boating access and infrastructure, as well as fish stocking programs important to recreational anglers.

Improving Coast Guard Infrastructure and Childcare Services

 U.S. Coast Guard Infrastructure – $309 million

• This investment will address needed and long overdue repairs and new construction of Coast Guard owned housing, buildings, and piers across the country including bases and Coast Guard facilities in Washington, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Texas.  

 U.S. Coast Guard Childcare Development Centers - $120 million

• Funding will be used to build Coast Guard owned and operated childcare centers, which are critical to women and families.

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