On September 1, 2015,
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a notice of funding
availability offering states $10 million in
competitive grants to enhance the safe transportation of flammable energy
products. The notice specifies that multiple awards will be granted to eligible
states that guarantee the maximum benefits possible from the funding available.
State applicants may
limit their federal funding request to a maximum of $3 million per project and
application. Projects must “directly relate to rail lines over which crude oil,
ethanol, and/or natural gas are transported” and applicants must make a
contribution of at least 20 percent to the financing project.
Applications will be
considered only for two types of projects, such as grade crossing improvements
and track enhancements, provided that applicants submit a project narrative
including safety risks and challenges assessment as well as expected project
outcomes, outputs, and activities.
As stated in the
notice, this competitive fund grant provides an opportunity to “promote the
safe transport of hazardous materials, with a special emphasis on the movement
of energy products by rail, which has increased by well over 4,000 percent in
the past 7 years alone, largely due to the increase in domestic crude oil
production and its transport to market.”
The deadline for
applications is scheduled for November 4, 2015.
Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
09/04/2015
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