FY 2012 National Infrastructure Investments

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Under the FY 2012 Continuing Appropriations Act, $526,944,000 is available through September 30, 2013, for the Department to make TIGER Discretionary Grants on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region. Projects eligible for funding provided under this program include, but are not limited to, highway or bridge projects eligible under title 23, United States Code, including interstate rehabilitation, improvements to the rural collector road system, the reconstruction of overpasses and interchanges, bridge replacements, seismic retrofit projects for bridges, and road realignments; public transportation projects eligible under chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, including investments in projects participating in the New Starts or Small Starts programs that will expedite the completion of those projects and their entry into revenue service; passenger and freight rail transportation projects; and port infrastructure investments, including projects that connect ports to other modes of transportation and improve the efficiency of freight movement. The Department may also use an amount not to exceed $175,000,000 for the purpose of paying the subsidy and administrative costs of projects eligible for federal credit assistance under chapter 6 of title 23, United States Code, if the Department finds that such use of the funds would advance the purposes of this program. In distributing funds available under this program, the Department must take measures to ensure an equitable geographic distribution of funds and an appropriate balance in addressing the needs of urban and rural communities. Grants provided under this program shall generally be not less than $10,000,000 and not greater than $200,000,000, however, projects located in rural areas, the minimum grant size shall be $1,000,000. The Federal share of the costs for which an expenditure is made under this program may be up to 80 percent, however, the Department may increase the Federal share of costs above 80 percent for projects located in rural areas. The Department will give priority to projects that require a contribution of Federal funds in order to complete an overall financing package. The Department has developed selection criteria and requirements for this program. Information about selection criteria and requirements is available in the Departments Notice of Funding Availability that has been published the Federal Register (available at http://www.dot.gov/tiger/docs/fy12_tiger_nofa.pdf and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-31/pdf/2012-1996.pdf).

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