CAGTC Members,
An unverified outline of President Trump’s infrastructure plan was obtained and published today by DC-area political outlets. The White House would not confirm the document’s authenticity. The document’s general outline is in alignment with previous public comments by the Administration. In recent weeks, White House officials have said that the full 70-page plan could be released around the time of the State of the Union, taking place on January 30 (although recent events, such as the Federal shutdown may delay this timeline).
The unverified document here outlines an infrastructure plan that will focus on leveraging non-federal dollars for infrastructure investment and is not limited to transportation infrastructure alone but instead focuses on all types of infrastructure including: surface transportation, airports, passenger rail, maritime and inland waterway ports, flood control, water supply, hydropower, water resources, drinking water facilities, storm water facilities, and Brownfield and Superfund sites. The plan does not have dollar amounts attached and instead breaks down the programs by the share of appropriations each would receive.
Please find key takeaways from the outline below:
- While the outline does not indicate how much funding will be available or where the funding will come from, it does indicate how any funds will be divvied up:
- 50% of funds would go to an Infrastructure Incentive Initiative: this is a biannual competitive grant program open to all infrastructure. The criteria places a heavy emphasis on an applicant’s ability to secure non-federal funding for the project.
- 10% of funds would go to the Transformative Projects Program: this is a competitive grant program focusing on innovative infrastructure projects that are “unable to secure financing through private sector due to the uniqueness of the program.” Like the Infrastructure Incentive Initiative, this program is open to all infrastructure.
- 25% of funds would go to the Rural Infrastructure Program: this is a competitive grant and formula program designed to invest in rural communities to facilitate the movement of freight as well as to provide reliable and affordable transportation options. Again, while it does place an emphasis on freight in the description, the program is open to all infrastructure. 80 percent of the funds would be distributed through a formula program and 20 percent would be distributed through a competitive grant program at the state level.
- 05% of funds would go to Federal Credit Programs: this would expand existing federal credit programs, including TIFIA, RRIF, WIFIA, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Lending Program.
- An unspecified amount of funds would go to a new Public Lands Infrastructure: this would create the Interior Maintenance Fund within the U.S. Treasury, populated by funds from new oil and mineral extraction projects.
- An executive order to allow for the disposal of federal assets for infrastructure projects.
- 5% of funds would go to a new Federal Capital Financing Fund: this would create a mandatory revolving fund to buy federal land for infrastructure projects.
- The plan would expand eligibility for private activity bonds (PABs), eliminating the transportation volume caps on PABs and allowing ports and airports to use them, among other expansions.
- The outline defines principles for infrastructure improvements, including:
- Transportation: this is subdivided among financing, highways, transit, rail and airports. Principles include broadening tolling on interstate highways, expanding TIFIA eligibility, providing small highway projects with relief from requirements for major projects, allowing states to repay federal government investment to eliminate the “perpetual application of federal requirements,” and applying FAST Act streamlining provisions to rail projects;
- Water Infrastructure: this is subdivided among financing, water programs, inland waterways, and water infrastructure resources. Key principles involve expanding WIFIA, preserving recreation user fees for the operation and maintenance of public facilities, and streamlining;
- Veterans Affairs; and
- Land Revitalization.
Thank you,
Katie Cross
Manager, Member Communications & Policy
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
1625 K Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
tradecorridors.org