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Agency details carbon-reduction and resilience spending; FEMA hazard mitigation projects contracted
Summary
Staff told the committee they have $12 million obligated in the carbon reduction program and have allocated larger sums across program categories; two FEMA hazard mitigation design contracts (Jericho river log jams and Route 108 erosion) are underway and Protect funds include a 2% planning set-aside.
An environmental policy and sustainability manager briefed the Senate Transportation committee on how the agency is allocating carbon reduction and resilience funds and what projects are currently entering design and contracting.
"We have allocated another 8 million. We're obligated 12 million thus far in that program," the manager said, describing funds directed to transit, micro-mobility, fleet conversion, bike/ped projects and traffic-efficiency measures.
Staff clarified that while $27 million has been allocated in program plans, only $12 million has reached the obligated stage so far, and more projects are in development and awaiting project-ready status before obligation.
In resilience work, staff said they contracted design services for two FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects: a nature-based engineered log-jam in Jericho along Route 117 and erosion-control work in the Notch on Route 108. The agency also used innovation funds to craft a nature-based solutions framework to guide where such approaches can be incorporated into transportation projects.
The manager described Protect program rules and priorities, including that 2% of Protect funds must be spent on planning. Protect funds can either fund standalone resilience projects or cover incremental upsizing costs when an asset is being replaced; the agency said incremental costs are covered at 80% of the incremental amount (90% if the project is on the agency's Resilience Improvement Plan).
Committee members asked whether resilience funding could pay for sidewalks or bike lanes when a bridge is replaced; staff said Protect funds typically do not pay for those non-structural elements and that standard STBG or other programming funds cover such elements.
Staff also pointed to research funded to examine municipal road practices and how those practices affect resilience outcomes, so municipalities can better evaluate the benefits of standard road practices for resilience.
The agency said it will continue obligating funds within federal windows and offered to return with more detailed obligation schedules and project-level numbers if requested.
