On May 11th the Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding Transportation Subcommittee met to hear invited testimony from several agencies in regards to transportation ARRA funding.
John Barton, Assistant Director for Engineering Operations Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), stated the March 1, 2010 was the obligation deadline in order to be eligible to receive funding allotted through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Texas successfully obligated all of its funding by the March 1, 2010 deadline.
Barton offered the following summary:
- AMOUNT OF FUNDING RECEIVED (obligated): $2,250,015,000
- AMOUNT OF CONTRACTS AWARDED: (April 2009 – March 2010) $1,749,106,646.89
- AMOUNT OF FUNDING SPENT (expended): $433,628,511
- NUMBER OF CONTRACTS EXECUTED: 543
- NUMBER OF PROJECTS COMPLETED: 128
- AMOUNT OF FUNDING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO REOBLIGATE DUE TO PROJECT UNDERRUNS: $58,795,013
Joel Marin, Accountant for TCEQ, spoke on the programs TCEQ is working on to improve the air quality in Texas. The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) program provides rebate grants for eligible activities to offset the costs of projects that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from high-emitting internal combustion diesel engines in areas of the state designated as nonattainment for meeting federal standards for levels of ground-level ozone. Persons who operate on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles or non-road diesel equipment in the eligible counties. Eligible applicants include individuals, corporations, organizations, governments, businesses, and other legal entities.
TERP Grant Awards
● Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis.
● Total grant amount: $13,165,683
● Subgrants awarded: 248 contracts
● Total subgrant awards: $13,040,654.76
● Amount remaining to award: $125,028.24
Brian Christian, Small Business & Environmental Assistance Director, TCEQ, spoke on the Clean School Bus Program which provides grants for technologies that reduce diesel exhaust emissions from school buses. However, members on the committee were concerned about the lack of publicity on the program and if districts knew the funding opportunity existed.
Funding is available through the Texas Clean School Bus Grant Program to all public school districts and charter schools in Texas that operate one or more diesel powered school buses or to a transportation system provided by a countywide school district.
Projects must be completed by September 30, 2010. Approximately $1.7 million is available for funding and an estimated $650 thousand has already been obligated.
Copy of TxDOT presentation: http://txstimulusfund.com/userfiles/file/Transportation%20Subcommittee%20TXDOT%20Testimony%205-11-10.doc
Copy of the TERP presentation: http://txstimulusfund.com/userfiles/file/TERP-ARRA%20one-pagerHouse.docm
Copy of Clean School Bus Grant presentation: http://txstimulusfund.com/userfiles/file/CSB%20ARRA%20one-pager%20May%206%202010.doc