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Committee raises transportation alternatives grant caps, removes 50% set-aside
Summary
The committee reviewed edits to the Transportation Alternatives grant program that raise per-project caps to $600,000 (and temporarily to $1.2 million next fiscal year) and removes a prior 50% water-quality set-aside while inserting sample eligible activities such as salt/sand sheds and non-driver infrastructure.
The House Transportation committee reviewed proposed edits to transportation‑alternatives grant language intended to speed use of federal funds. Damian Leonard of the Office of Legislative Council described the changes: the program’s maximum individual grant would increase from $300,000 to $600,000; for the coming fiscal year (effective July 1) the cap would be temporarily increased to $1.2 million, after which it would revert to $600,000 unless extended.
Committee members removed a statutory 50% set‑aside for water‑quality projects from the draft but discussed inserting illustrative eligible activities so the program remains oriented to environmental mitigation and non‑vehicular transportation. Damian proposed wording to award grants for any eligible activity "including environmental mitigation projects relating to storm water and highways such as eligible salt and sand shed projects and safe‑routes/non‑driver infrastructure," with priorities governed by the statute’s subdivision two.
Members asked for clarity on eligibility (for example, whether a condo association that does not charge for use would be a "public charger" or a private charger) and on how the higher cap would be administered. Damian confirmed the effective date for the coming-year cap would be July 1, enabling awards up to $1.2 million in the next fiscal year. The committee asked counsel to return revised language for editing and scheduled markup at 8:45 a.m. the following morning.
No formal vote was taken during the session; the committee plans further editing and a markup meeting to resolve remaining eligibility and prioritization language.
