WTS

Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

By Rachel Roberts, Kerry O'Hare, Kate Roetzer, Abigail Wolfgram, WTS-DC 
March 2022

On February 23, 2022, the White House marked 100 days since passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Implementation of the bill’s massive infrastructure investments is well underway and has been the focus of more than 60 presidential and cabinet visits to communities across America.

Following passage of the BIL, President Biden signed an Executive Order establishing an Infrastructure Implementation Task Force. In November 2021, the President announced the appointment of Mitch Landrieu as senior advisor responsible for coordinating for implementation of the historic BIL and in early January, Landrieu sent a letter to state governors requesting they consider appointing a high-level person to serve as their state’s Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator. Two additional key coordinators have since been announced: Katie Thomson, director of BIL implementation for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT); and Winnie Stachelberg, senior adviser and infrastructure coordinator for the Interior Department. The Administration plans to add more positions across the country at every level over the coming weeks, months, and years, including new civil servant jobs.

On January 31, 2022, the White House released the first edition of its BIL guidebook, a ‘one-stop-shop’ that provides comprehensive information including an explanation of the BIL and a roadmap of the funding available under the law, designed to help state, local, Tribal and territorial governments ‘unlock the benefits’ from the historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure. The White House is also hosting a series of “Infrastructure School” webinars for implementation stakeholders and summaries of select webinars can be found here. Further, the USDOT has also established its own BIL website which includes individual links to further information for each mode of transportation.

Funding and Competitive Grants

Although the federal government is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution through March 11 for federal fiscal year (FY) 2022, we are hopeful that a full year appropriations bill will be approved soon. Until there is a full-year FY 2022 funding bill, some of the new infrastructure spending and programs can not be fully implemented. Representatives across the transportation industry are urging Congress to take swift action to pass the full year bill so the industry can see the full benefits of the new law. In the meantime, some of the funding from the BIL has already gone out the door:

USDOT has also kicked off the competitive grant season with the announcement of a $1.5 billion notice of funding opportunity for its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program, which helps communities around the country carry out projects with significant local or regional impact. Applications to the RAISE grant program are due April 14. The Maritime Administration has also issued a NOFO for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, with applications due May 16. And finally, the FAA has announced a $1 billion notice of funding opportunity to modernize airport terminals across the country.

According to officials, USDOT expects the release of several additional NOFOs in the first quarter of this year, including:

  • Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grants to help rebuild America’s aging infrastructure;
  • A new competitive program to provide single or multi-year grants to carry out expensive, complex projects, referred to as "mega projects", that have the potential to generate national or regional economic mobility or safety benefits; and
  • Bus and Bus Facilities and the Low or No Emission Vehicle Program grants that support bus transit modernization and electrification.

Road Safety and Electric Vehicles

In December, Vice President Harris announced an EV Charging Action Plan to achieve the President’s goal of building a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers. USDOT and the Department of Energy (DOE) also formed a Joint Office of Energy & Transportation focused on building out the national network of EV chargers. USDOT and DOE announced nearly $5 billion that will be made available over the next 5 years under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and released guidance on how cities and states can strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure. Guidance for standards for EV chargers in the national network is expected by mid-May.

On January 27, 2022, USDOT announced a comprehensive new National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), which provides a roadmap for addressing the national crisis in roadway fatalities and serious injuries. 

USDOT Appointments

Early in the new year, the Senate confirmed Amit Bose as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), making him the 5th of President Biden’s nominees to USDOT to be confirmed. Eight additional nominees to leadership roles at USDOT continue to await Senate action. In mid-February, Steve Dickson, the current Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), announced that he will be stepping down, effective March 31, which will require a new nomination.

You can track all Presidential appointments to USDOT through the Partnership for Public Service. WTS-DC extends its congratulations to all the nominees, welcomes those who have been confirmed, and continues to hope that the Senate will expeditiously confirm additional appointees.

COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to present challenges to the transportation industry, impacting both the staff and ridership/consumers of transportation. COVID-19 cases are declining and many states and localities are lifting pandemic protections and mask mandates. The CDC has also lifted the face mask requirement for school transportation. However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) order requiring the use of face masks on public transportation networks currently remains in effect through April 18, 2022.

Return to WTS-DC News >>