December 2020

Congress Passes Massive Stimulus Package

• Late last night, Congress approved a legislative package that contains $900 billion in pandemic-related aid and $1.4 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding after months of inaction and partisan bickering, sending desperately needed aid to Americans reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The bill will be sent to President Trump’s desk before government funding runs out on January 28. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.
• Major pillars include $600 direct payments to individuals and families, enhanced unemployment benefits, small business aid, and funding for distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Transportation provisions in the massive bill, which totaled almost 6,000 pages, can be found below:                            

  COVID Transportation Funding Provisions- $45 billion

• Highways - $10 billion

  • $10 billion to support State Departments of Transportation and certain local transportation agencies. Funds are available to replace amounts lost as a result of the coronavirus for preventive maintenance, routine maintenance, operations, and personnel costs, including salaries of employees (including those employees who have been placed on administrative leave) or contractors, debt service payments, availability payments, and coverage for other revenue losses.

    • Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds will be apportioned to the States in the same ratio as the obligation limitation for fiscal year (FY) 2021. Has to be apportioned not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this bill.
    • Funds will be suballocated within the state to urbanized areas with a population of over 200,000. 
• Transit - $14 billion
  • To prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus and to the maximum extent possible, shall be directed to payroll and operations
  • The federal share is 100 percent.
  • Funding is distributed through these formula funds:
    • $13,271,310,572 by FTA Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula (including FTA Section 5337 State of Good Repair formula funds)
    • $50 billion for paratransit.
    • $679 million for grants to rural areas.
• FTA must allocate the funding not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

FY 2021 Transportation Appropriations

• $88.2 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOT), a $955 million increase over the FY 2021

• Highways: $46.365 billion (FAST Act authorized Highway Trust Fund), same as FY 2021. Plus $2 billion from Treasury. The $2 billion is allocated:

  • $640.7 million for STBGP
  • $1.08 billion for Bridge Replacement/Rehabilitation Grants
  • $50 million for Competitive Grade Crossing Grants
• Transit: $10.15 billion, same as FY 2021. Plus $516 million from Treasury.
  • $2 billion for Capital Investment Grants
  • New Starts: $1.169 million
  • Core Capacity: $525 million
  • Small Starts: $200 million
  • Transit Report Language: Prevents FTA from delaying projects that have a proposed federal share of their capital costs greater than 40 percent and prevents FTA from requiring a CIG project get a medium or higher rating before finishing its EIS.

In Case You Missed It

Combined COVID Relief & FY 2021 Omnibus Package Expands Eligibility of SOGR Projects (Dec. 21, 2020)

CNEC Congratulates Pete Buttigieg on His Nomination to be DOT Secretary (Dec. 17, 2020)

CNEC Commends the NJ Transit Board for Finalizing an Agreement to Fund the Construction of the PNB (Dec. 10, 2020)

CNEC Meets with Biden Transition Team to Discuss Passenger Rail and Infrastructure Needs of the NEC (Dec. 3, 2020)

CNEC Congratulates Stephen Gardner on Being Named as Amtrak President (Dec. 1, 2020)

CNEC Thanks Congressman Payne (D-NJ) for Being a Strong Advocate for the Northeast Corridor (Dec. 1, 2020)