[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6247467,"mediaKeyId","3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde","parentId",3212893,"title","Witnesses tell House subcommittee NEPA and grant rules slow rail projects; call for pre-award authority and state role","audioSeconds",6765,"startMs",2195000,"endMs",8960000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde&start=2195&end=8960","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde/thumbnail_2195000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6247467/Witnesses-tell-House-subcommittee-NEPA-and-grant-rules-slow-rail-projects-call-for-pre-award-authority-and-state-role","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247467-827c87a331974a811b40f234f399ce66/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107309&Signature=dACjbAxNst342MMLuYRx8VR1eXZl59LFMiFiZ8jVevC92Q3fDjPY~f1Ia7pDOyrf26L8nrfqjOP4sd55H9QzBK~de1o2x-7vb2qa-7xjSGtmPsRTbbEBVPGcPAq8goTRQFj2dBn4DaCoN1~CDodJMQLKH00dF4bL1cKOA6sMOjkgkH3C3xbNkc7v-XoNcj-CbRKuiFPNZ6po216Nh6B~7ocSa5IMrl8EhbFdjjPMZg~fzsbVIknH1g6h8bs1K6xwL1KOIWTYEfL4dFqMz6KRkyYYV~Elz0y3lQGfl1o~psQ91bn4a0bwc3exHykgcEj7K4I~w6mgeZUtyocDQytg2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure","date","2025-05-07T16:38:06.177Z","article","Witnesses at a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee hearing on rail said federal permitting and grant-administration processes are adding years to rail projects and driving up costs.

\"This work could be avoided if the FRA would accept other modal agencies' standards and processes, especially when it comes to NEPA,\" said Matthew Dietrich, executive director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission. Dietrich told the subcommittee that providing pre-award authority letters with award notifications and creating a tiered grant-administration approach would let states advance project development while federal paperwork proceeds.

Garrett Yukolito, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, told lawmakers predictable, sustained funding is also necessary to plan multi-decade rail work. Kevin Hicks, senior vice president at Gannett Fleming Transystems, said the selection and obligation timeline has lengthened since the IIJA: \"The grant award selection can take around 6 months after the application is submitted,\" and obligations can take \"6 to 18 months on average.\" He recommended a two-stage pipeline (preliminary engineering/NEPA, then final design/construction) and stronger FRA staffing so project managers can make timely decisions.

Witnesses and several members of the subcommittee described examples where duplicative federal reviews slowed projects and increased costs. Dietrich said granting states NEPA assignment or prequalifying states to administer certain discretionary grants—similar to existing NEPA-assignment arrangements—would reduce duplicate reviews and speed delivery. He and others urged FRA to accept other modal agency processes and to standardize grant documentation and stakeholder-concurrence templates.

Committee members pressed witnesses on concrete reforms: faster categorical-exclusion handling for routine, in-place track work; clearer pre-award authority language; and allocation of limited program funds for state-led project development so applications arrive construction-ready. Witnesses cautioned these administrative changes would not remove environmental review obligations where they are necessary, but would reduce redundant procedural delays.

Lawmakers from both parties pressed for quicker execution because delays increase contractor costs and can push work past seasonal windows. Several witnesses warned that reduced FRA staffing or pauses in grant processing would compound problems by creating backlogs at other permitting agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps and resource agencies, further extending timelines.

The subcommittee did not adopt legislation at the hearing. Members and witnesses repeatedly asked the FRA and Congress to consider: clearer, scalable grant templates; preapproved project pipelines; expanded NEPA assignment to qualified states; and stronger, consistent FRA staffing to reduce administrative friction.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","America Builds: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Rail Assistance","oneSentenceSummary","Witnesses at a House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee hearing on rail said federal permitting and grant-administration processes are adding years to rail projects and driving up costs.","taxTitle","Transportation and Infrastructure: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1827,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6247452,"Subcommittee hears passenger-rail momentum — Corridor ID, Brightline West — but witnesses warn administration pauses risk project gains",360,1519000,1879000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde&start=1519&end=1879","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde/thumbnail_1519000.jpg","/articles/6247452/Subcommittee-hears-passenger-rail-momentum-Corridor-ID-Brightline-West-but-witnesses-warn-administration-pauses-risk-project-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247452-dc1a9aad4d4c47c12cd412153b314791/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107309&Signature=n8dGPDLPVPGMBQTfrO52VTmyGO0ouvaafYDgsY0lVL7scVSNRWUnDF7Q~2Jyt5SLfOnSgzp9uUNRWBn0UBLq7MSkKpiei16-nGeRjqk84D8rkfBhUHJw2zIreNFD4kfC2SWHiEuEx5BieyOeLs1f8Bj7HU65v31wph~R6fWkKdd0X600IxRERUD-DKX5pth9dY6EGr5FSMOSodxLRmI~yCyyxI2-q~pQRIYB2soZXkuMlT6ItkCZPgmSeuZqOVP3XeG3Zgc-TfQmu7Cg1~jSAKb88H9yTFhsL80qNgT3QpgJpguLNFiEy3-60rLLxRM8p~6qBYgC17dVOpP3vsb~RQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers and state transportation officials told the House Subcommittee on Rail that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's guaranteed rail funding has enabled planning and construction for passenger rail — but that recent administrative reviews and temporary holds on awards risk undoing progress.

\"Thanks to a $3,000,000,000 grant from the federal state partnership for inner city passenger rail, BrightLine West has broken ground on a new high speed train between Las Vegas and Los Angeles,\" Representative Dina Titus said during opening remarks, pointing to Brightline as a visibility example of IIJA-funded projects that have moved forward. Witnesses urged continued multi-year predictable funding for passenger rail, and recommended that corridor-planning programs such as Corridor ID be retained to allow early-stage, service-development work.

Several lawmakers and witnesses voiced concern about recent pauses or reviews of previously awarded grants. Representative John Larson said Secretary Duffy testified about \"roughly 3,200 previously awarded projects were on hold,\" and witnesses described uncertainty in award execution that can force states to suspend work or seek alternate funding. Garrett Yukolito, commissioner of the Connecticut DOT, said the state would have to suspend projects or seek state-legislative action to replace paused federal funds.

Panelists described Corridor ID and the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail as useful tools to vet long-range investments, produce more competitive capital applications and better justify federal matching. They also said large corridor projects require predictable multi-year funding because work must be staged while maintaining live operations and because environmental and engineering work can take years. No formal committee action was taken; members asked staff to consider language in the upcoming surface-transportation reauthorization to protect multi-year and Corridor ID funding.","Members and witnesses praised IIJA passenger-rail funding and Corridor ID planning while warning that recent administrative pauses and reviews of previously awarded grants threaten project momentum, particularly on large programs such as Gateway and state partnership awards.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6247457,"Members, witnesses point to Railroad Crossing Elimination grants as critical safety tool amid thousands of annual incidents",5617,1621000,7238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde&start=1621&end=7238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde/thumbnail_1621000.jpg","/articles/6247457/Members-witnesses-point-to-Railroad-Crossing-Elimination-grants-as-critical-safety-tool-amid-thousands-of-annual-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247457-bab2b089d69fd21fde9e76ee55bb2a26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107309&Signature=ocDqzYIOFaHE~ALYW7QuZpEarHEeLuz4jUgJu-hJigyppxTtc8VCX1pyTRxdCFDY6C02c1WfTk1ZaNnQLgIn5YkHCeRUeQ76kUTMXded6orWw2OtIEKyWARetUV~3Ckz57POiy9YAYCaUBM3ilaBTMPwyJ0i3BU9ykYSTpSm4~ewpr-D~z1f4JIwQTR-hkNyKHcIxGmi1SJKJTeX~kL~pg7ZZwILGtJbAVa5uqkrkX3g5D8maErQp0F5KyBgBW5eBRfQSOCPSwk-YUraWiHkK3TzcIScHHL829nCsLXrEG1vZKqWEHy2B~oW-vpXtRDRv1BcqnUliRVsDFfSdpX6Pw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Subcommittee on Rail and witnesses at the hearing emphasized that grade-crossing elimination remains a critical public-safety investment and urged Congress to keep the program separate and sufficiently funded.

\"There are over 2000 incidences and 200 fatalities at these dangerous intersections every year,\" Ranking Member Dina Titus said, noting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocation for the crossing-elimination program. Representatives and witnesses described how grade separations and other crossing improvements reduce risky driver and pedestrian behavior and unblock traffic when freight or passenger trains pass.

Matthew Dietrich of the Ohio Rail Development Commission described stage-managed approaches Ohio uses to combine state funds and federal awards to advance grade-separation projects and urged flexibility for states to develop projects to construction readiness. He told the committee the RCE program \"has really been a game changer\" for communities that had long sought separations.

Several members and witnesses said RCE should remain a dedicated program rather than be folded into broader grant pools, because grade separations typically perform poorly under strict benefit-cost frameworks used by other programs. Witnesses also recommended allowing a portion of program funds to be used for project development and planning so that smaller communities can submit construction-ready applications.

Committee members from both parties pressed for faster execution because delays can push construction past workable seasonal windows and increase costs. The committee took no vote; members asked staff to consider options in surface-transportation reauthorization text.","Lawmakers and state and local witnesses praised the Railroad Crossing Elimination program and urged continued, dedicated funding and faster grant processing to prevent collisions and fatalities at grade crossings.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6247462,"Short-line railroad leaders urge Congress to preserve and expand CRISI funding, cite $12 billion deferred-maintenance backlog",204,2986000,3190000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde&start=2986&end=3190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3212893-6981a5592669329ad74e886d8cfb5bde/thumbnail_2986000.jpg","/articles/6247462/Short-line-railroad-leaders-urge-Congress-to-preserve-and-expand-CRISI-funding-cite-12-billion-deferred-maintenance-backlog","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247462-cf7dbb93261e68c3b86cbcc26cfd7752/orig.mp4?Expires=1771107309&Signature=nJ79d4C~46B9~5Qr8k~9jetGLoRNxzG0gwxhxcf6nJXQwWZr7Wg02StlNmcRVev6mAcmijgm61zyDwlpvAt38d-5WF4lxtdo8zPT2DSLD6X151hOfeXZwsh2SgRIrqpq8XWpnSZkCPeZ5keQfiay0xAyd2hJYwhlyYsHTArvglsC6OhxwXzMZT0c3zmEM7OOFDyl79k3TrA-2Ji4JRBS5sG5xzwfDFmJDiyGf5GflvDBDgn~JA7mMVkBG4IJa6yAm~jHXx4-HgnbSzfJ3kj2ro-HpR~oJlQPh0j48pcYqEyryeQptk1TMQLtAO593tWb9KD-sbCwEgUBASKO7Nzd5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Short-line railroad operators and their advocates told the House Subcommittee on Rail that federal CRISI grants have been transformational but that slow federal processing and long award-to-obligation timelines limit the program's benefits.

\"The backlog of projects to upgrade rail and bridges to modern standards on short lines is $12,000,000,000,\" Kristen Bevel, general counsel and chief legal officer at Pinsley Railroad Company and a vice president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, told the committee. Bevel said short lines operate 850 miles for her company, and nationally there are roughly 600 short lines that manage a third of the freight network.

Bevel and other witnesses described how CRISI projects create local jobs, attract private investment, and enable first-and-last-mile service for shippers. \"The CRISI program is the only federal grant program that short lines are eligible to apply for directly and it's been transformational,\" she said, urging Congress to make CRISI an advance-appropriation program to provide certainty for applicants.

Witnesses and members recommended administrative fixes to accelerate delivery: batch processing of categorical exclusions, more aggressive use of pre-award authority, and deadlines for agency processing to prevent multi-year lags between award announcement and contract obligation. Bevel and others said award-to-agreement timelines often extend a year or longer and that construction disbursement can take an additional 6–12 months after agreement execution.

Short-line witnesses pressed the committee to preserve CRISI and complementary programs such as the Section 130 grade-crossing program and to consider operational changes that would let small railroads apply and implement projects more quickly. No formal committee action was taken at the hearing.","Short-line operators and industry representatives told the House subcommittee that CRISI grants and advanced appropriations are critical to upgrading small railroad infrastructure, creating jobs, and preventing service interruptions. Witnesses recommended process improvements to shorten award-to-obligation timelines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Witnesses tell House subcommittee NEPA and grant rules slow rail projects; call for pre-award authority and state role

Subcommittee hears passenger-rail momentum — Corridor ID, Brightline West — but witnesses warn administration pauses risk project gains

Members, witnesses point to Railroad Crossing Elimination grants as critical safety tool amid thousands of annual incidents

Short-line railroad leaders urge Congress to preserve and expand CRISI funding, cite $12 billion deferred-maintenance backlog