HOUSE APPROVES FEDERAL ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE
By mid-afternoon on Friday, February 13, the House of Representatives had approved by a 246-183 vote the economic stimulus package that was reported out by the joint House-Senate conference committee. The Senate had begun its debate.

Unofficial estimates of New Jersey’s Transportation shares are $651 million for highway formula funding and $447 million for transit formula funding.

Here is a breakdown of selected categories of the final conference report. Figures for other categories will follow as they become available.

TRANSPORTATION
The Conference report appropriates $48.12 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation.

For Rail, the conference report combined the House and Senate versions for a total of $8 billion.

For Highways, the Conference report provides that $27.66 billion should be apportioned to states by formula. It allows states to use portions of their highway allotment for “stormwater runoff, investments in passenger and freight transportation and investments in port infrastructure.” States will have 120 days after enactment by President Obama to obligate the first 50 percent of their highway apportionments and until one year obligate the remainder.

For Mass Transit, the bill would give a total appropriation of $8.4 billion for the Federal Transit Administration – with $6.9 billion towards capital formula grants, $750 million to fixed guideway modernization formula grants and $750 million toward new starts.

For Aviation, the report appropriates $1.1 billion for supplemental airport improvement grants and another $200 million for Federal Aviation Administration procurement.

For Amtrak, the report provides $850 million for capital grants and $450 million through the Department of Transportation for Amtrak security upgrades.

WATER RESOURCES
For Water, the report contains $4.6 billion for water resources programs of the Army Corps of Engineers and $6 billion for state revolving funds for wastewater and drinking water treatment plants.

For Maritime, the conference report gives $100 million to the Maritime Administration’s aid program for small shipyards, $142 million to the Coast Guard for alteration of its bridges program and $150 million for port security grants.

ENERGY
There’s about $50 billion for energy programs, much of which goes to efficiency programs and renewable energy.

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