National High Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2013

Summary: National High Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish an initiative to promote intercity and urban passenger rail operations and transportation-oriented development by creating rail projects qualified for federal incentives for communities to encourage dedicated revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor development. Authorizes the Secretary to designate up to four qualified pilot projects. Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary to provide direct loans and loan guarantees for qualified rail projects. Authorizes the Secretary to make secured loans, loan guarantees, or lines of credit for such projects. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to: (1) state, local, or regional authorities to identify transportation-oriented development opportunities; (2) states, localities, and regions outside the Northeast Corridor to establish regional authorities and identify existing and potential stations within the region to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the development of a high performance intercity or urban rail passenger corridor; and (3) states and local or regional entities along the Northeast Corridor to establish a Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented Development Working Group and identify Northeast Corridor existing and potential stations to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the creation of a true high-speed rail corridor in the Northeast Corridor.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National High Performance Passenger 
Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish an initiative to 
promote intercity and urban passenger rail operations and 
transportation-oriented development by creating incentives for 
communities to encourage dedicated revenue sources for urban and 
regional rail corridor development.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall obtain the services of 
qualified independent private sector entity with experience in 
transportation-oriented development to serve as a liaison between the 
Federal Government, State and local authorities, private sector 
participants, and appropriate other stakeholders in the initiative. 
Such entity shall--
            (1) serve as a development planning advisor, by advancing 
        and recommending methodologies to use in the overall 
        implementation of the initiative;
            (2) provide recommendations as requested by the Secretary, 
        which shall include recommendations on--
                    (A) liaison between the Federal Government, and 
                State, local, or regional applicants for incentives 
                under the initiative;
                    (B) mechanisms for coordination among all 
                stakeholders, including State, local, and regional 
                authorities;
                    (C) types of projects that should receive 
                incentives under the initiative; and
                    (D) mechanisms for providing technical assistance 
                and types of technical assistance that should be 
                provided; and
            (3) conduct a preliminary transportation-oriented 
        development survey on the Northeast Corridor or other local 
        station areas or regional corridors.
    (c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall harmonize planning 
requirements and direct coordination and administration of the 
initiative between the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal 
Transit Administration.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL INCENTIVES.

    (a) Qualified Projects.--
            (1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for 
        the designation of projects qualified for Federal incentives 
        pursuant to this section and the amendments made by this 
        section.
            (2) Types of projects that may qualify.--Projects that may 
        qualify for Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the 
        amendments made by this section are commercial development or 
        other projects that--
                    (A) contribute to the generation of revenue by the 
                capture of increasing value from development around 
                station areas, through the establishment of special 
                assessment districts, increasing the tax base, 
                promoting job growth, promoting cost effectiveness, 
                facilitating intermodal connectivity, combining 
                congestion relief with station development, stimulating 
                economic development, or any other appropriate means;
                    (B) are likely to make long-term contributions to 
                rail corridor development funds or similar mechanisms 
                that help finance intercity and urban passenger rail 
                infrastructure or operating expenses; and
                    (C) provide for a quantifiable revenue stream to 
                the relevant station or rail operation.
            (3) Applicant coordinating authority.--An applicant for 
        Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the amendments 
        made by this section shall be a State, local, or regional 
        authority. Such authority shall provide for coordination among 
        stakeholders, local governments, and private developers in the 
        defined region, and shall be the lead party in the application.
            (4) Projects authorized.--Except as provided in subsection 
        (b), projects are not authorized to receive Federal incentives 
        pursuant to this section and the amendments made by this 
        section until the date that is 1 year after the report required 
        under subsection (c) is transmitted to Congress.
    (b) Pilot Projects.--The Secretary may designate up to 4 pilot 
projects as qualified for Federal incentives pursuant to this section 
and the amendments made by this section before the date specified in 
subsection (a)(4).
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, after consultation with each 
State, local, or regional authority coordinating a pilot project under 
subsection (b), shall transmit to Congress a report assessing the 
success or failure of each such pilot project and making any 
appropriate recommendations for modifications to the initiative under 
this Act.
    (d) Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement Financing.--Section 502 of 
the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 
U.S.C. 822) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (5);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (6) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(7) persons conducting a qualified project (as defined by 
        the Secretary under section 3 of the National High Performance 
        Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 
        2013).''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (B);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (C) and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(D) conduct a qualified project (as defined by 
                the Secretary under section 3 of the National High 
                Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented 
                Development Act of 2013).''.
    (e) Transportation Infrastructure Finance.--Section 601(a)(12) of 
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(E) a qualified project (as defined by the 
                Secretary under section 3 of the National High 
                Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented 
                Development Act of 2013).''.
    (f) Application Priority.--In general, Federal applications to the 
Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration for 
railroad projects that participate in the transportation-oriented 
development initiative under this Act shall receive a priority for 
funding in the application decision process.
    (g) Revenue Neutral Program Cost.--The Secretary shall establish 
and apply to recipients of Federal incentives pursuant to this section 
and the amendments made by this section a fee in an amount sufficient 
to cover the administrative costs of carrying out this Act, including 
section 2(b).

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) National Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
technical assistance to applicants and potential applicants for Federal 
incentives pursuant to this Act and the amendments made by this Act 
with respect to--
            (1) identification of transportation-oriented development 
        opportunities;
            (2) establishment of special assessment districts in 
        regions;
            (3) establishment of rail corridor development funds; and
            (4) expediting Federal, State, and local regulatory 
        approvals.
    (b) States, Localities, and Regions Outside the Northeast 
Corridor.--The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to the 
States, localities, and regions outside the Northeast Corridor as 
identified by the Secretary, including--
            (1) technical assistance on the establishment of regional 
        authorities appropriate to carrying out the purposes of this 
        Act at the regional level; and
            (2) technical assistance at the request of a State, local, 
        or regional entity to identify stations and potential stations 
        within a region and conduct a preliminary survey of property 
        available and potentially available, to maximize development 
        and commercial revenue generation to financially support the 
        development of a high performance intercity or urban rail 
        passenger corridor.
    (c) Northeast Corridor.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
assistance to the States and local or regional entities along the 
Northeast Corridor, including--
            (1) technical assistance on the establishment, by the 
        Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory 
        Commission established under section 24905 of title 49, United 
        States Code, of a Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented 
        Development Working Group, which shall--
                    (A) include outside members with expertise in 
                transportation-oriented development;
                    (B) be supported by the independent private sector 
                entity retained by the Secretary under section 2(b);
                    (C) be chaired by a designee appointed by the 
                Secretary who is an expert with private sector 
                transportation oriented development experience; and
                    (D) advise the Secretary and the Northeast Corridor 
                Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission on 
                the ways and means for carrying out the purposes of 
                this Act at the regional level; and
            (2) not more than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, technical assistance to identify Northeast Corridor 
        stations and potential stations and conduct a preliminary 
        survey of property available and potentially available, to 
        maximize development and commercial revenue generation to 
        financially support the creation of a true high-speed rail 
        corridor in the Northeast Corridor.