Washington, D.C., July 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On July 29, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) introduced its surface transportation reauthorization bill, S. 2302, the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act (ATIA), of which the American Public Works Association (APWA) is supportive. EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) has called ATIA, “the largest transportation highway infrastructure bill in history”.
Focusing heavily on funding, safety, and resiliency, ATIA calls for $287 billion to address the Nation’s surface transportation needs over five years. This funding amount is 27% over the current law, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Public Law 114-94) levels, set to expire September 30, 2020.
“APWA is supportive of ATIA and the proposed increased investment within. We are incredibly appreciative of the bipartisan effort of the EPW Committee in seeking to secure reauthorization ahead of schedule, or on time,” said APWA Executive Director Scott D. Grayson, CAE. “We are committed to working with EPW, the full Senate, and the House to ensure passage of a robust surface transportation reauthorization bill in the coming months.”
Also included in ATIA, is a solution to avoid the rescission of $7.68 billion in highway funding contract authority scheduled to occur in July 2020 as part of the FAST Act. Additionally, ATIA is codifying streamlining measures in One Federal Decision, Executive Order 13807, which aims to eliminate duplication in federal permitting processes and sets a two-year goal to complete all environmental reviews and authorization decisions regarding major infrastructure projects.
“On behalf of APWA’s more than 30,000 members, I would like to express thanks to the hard-working members of the Committee for moving in a swift bipartisan fashion to not only increase funding levels, but to also ensure that the measure will codify tenants in One Federal Decision,” says APWA President David L. Lawry, PE. “Our members are responsible for building and maintaining our nation’s surface transportation systems, and they rely on robust multi-year reauthorization, and streamlined permitting processes to be able to plan ahead, and seamlessly do their jobs vital to keeping America moving.”
APWA will continue to update our membership about the status of the legislation on Advocacy News and Twitter @APWAGOVAFFAIRS as more information becomes available.