Indiana lawmaker urges shift from discretionary grants to formula funding, criticizes NEVI rollout and FAA delay on BVLOS rule
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Summary
Representative Yakin told the committee discretionary grant programs expanded dramatically under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act but often produce slow results; he urged more formula funding, criticized NEVI/CFI deployment and called for the FAA to issue overdue BVLOS rulemaking.
Representative Yakin told the committee that the last surface-transportation package sharply expanded discretionary grants but that those programs have underperformed in delivering projects swiftly and equitably.
“IGJA expanded discretionary grants by 500%, but Indiana ranked dead last on a per capita basis in securing these grants,” Yakin said, urging the committee to “dramatically scale back discretionary grants in favor of formula funding.” He argued formula programs provide predictable money that states can plan around and said bureaucratic delays at the Department of Transportation left thousands of announced projects without executed grant agreements.
Yakin also criticized federal electric-vehicle charging programs, saying progress under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program (NEVI) and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) programs has been slow. “In over 3 years, NEVI stood up only about 60 stations and CFI only 3,” he said, and characterized federal program rules as an obstacle to faster deployment.
On unmanned aircraft, Yakin pressed for an expedited FAA notice of proposed rulemaking on beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations that was due Sept. 16, 2024, and remains outstanding. He said issuing that rule is “well and long overdue.”
What was asked: Yakin urged the committee to favor formula funding over large discretionary grant programs, to reassess NEVI/CFI implementation, and to press the FAA to complete outstanding BVLOS rulemaking.