A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) announced by the Federal Transit Administration is designed to further the Trump Administration's goals to empower the private sector to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.
"The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced a proposal to facilitate public-private partnerships in public transportation," according to an announcement on the Federal Transit Administration website.
Under the newly proposed Private Investment Project Procedures (PIPP) for public transportation capital projects, "recipients of Federal funding for public transportation projects would be allowed to identify specific FTA regulations, practices, procedures or guidance documents that may be an impediment to the use of a public-private partnership (P3) or private investment in that project." Not only would recipients be able to identify such legal and regulatory impediments, they would also be able "to apply to FTA to request modification or waiver of specific FTA requirements if the recipient demonstrates that those requirements discourage the use of public-private partnerships."
Public comment on the proposed rulemaking is open until September 29, 2017.
$544 Million in Transit Capital Investment Funding Announced
The latest round of funding for the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant funding program was announced this week.
Trump Administration Continues to Delay Allocated Transit Funds
The Federal Transit Administration is still holding much of the funding promised by Congress since 2017. It's unlikely that anyone likely to vote for Trump again in 2020 is losing any sleep over money not spent on public transit infrastructure.
Sound Transit's Lynwood Link Gets the Federal Funding it Was Waiting For
A great sigh of relief from transit planners in the Pacific Northwest (and probably the rest of the country as well).
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience
In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
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Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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