ASSOCIATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Transportation

General education on the use of the public-private partnership delivery model and private infrastructure investment for transportation infrastructure projects. S. 5235, Fiscally Responsible Highway Funding Act of 2024, to provide additional contract authority to State departments of transportation to carry out surface transportation projects, and for other purposes (all sections). S. 4367, Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, to provide for improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to provide for the conservation and development of water and related resources, and for other purposes, Division B, Title I, Fiscally Responsible Highway Funding Act of 2024, all sections. Implementation of Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, Pub. L. 118-5 (June 3, 2023), Division C, Title III, Sec. 321, Subsection 10 (Major federal action), as applied to Federal loan programs such as the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) and the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program, 45 USC Sec. 821-823. General education on Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration, No. 23-1067 (Nov. 12, 2024) (D.C. Cir.) curtailing the authority of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to issue regulations that bind other agencies under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). General education on the use of the public-private partnership delivery model and private infrastructure investment for transit-oriented development infrastructure projects. General education on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and compliance for transit oriented development projects financed with Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) or Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans. Seeking to introduce legislation or insert as an amendment to S. 4367, Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 that would: (1) allow reallocation of TIFIA funding by the Build America Bureau by Fiscal Year 2026; (2) eliminate the investment grade audit requirement for transit oriented development projects; (3) harmonize NEPA review requirements with those in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, Pub. L. 118-5 (June 3, 2023), Section 321; (4) clarify that all projects may be financed up to 49 percent of project costs; (5) simplify and standardize loan reporting requirements; (6) remove the requirement for the inclusion of transit oriented development projects in a State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP); (6) streamline the approval time period generally and accelerate underwriting for certain highly rated projects or owners; (7) require the Build America Bureau to reduce its transactions costs; and (8) enable U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance security to be provided as a credit support for Build America Bureau loans (no amendment or bill introduced). Seeking introduction of legislation to make Federal loan programs such as TIFIA and RRIF self-replenishing, so that when loans are repaid to those loan programs those funds remain in the program rather than being returned to the Treasury Department (no bill introduced).