Transportation Emergency Relief Funds Availability Act

To modify the treatment of deadlines for emergency relief funds awarded by the Secretary of Transportation, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the “ Transportation Emergency Relief Funds Availability Act 2. Repeal of Federal Highway Administration regulation Section 668.105(h) of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, is repealed. 3. Federal-Aid Highways Emergency Relief Funds Section 125 of title 23, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking subsection (d)(4); and (2) by adding at the end the following: (h) Imposition of deadline (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Transportation may not require any project funded pursuant to this section to advance to the construction obligation stage before the date that is the last day of the sixth fiscal year after the later of— (A) the date on which the Governor declared the emergency, as described in subsection (d)(1)(A); or (B) the date on which the President declared the emergency to be a major disaster, as described in such subsection. (2) Extension of deadline If the Secretary imposes a deadline for advancement to the construction obligation stage pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may, upon the request of the Governor of the State, issue an extension of not more than 1 year to complete such advancement, and may issue additional extensions after the expiration of any extension, if the Secretary determines the Governor of the State has provided suitable justification to warrant an extension. . 4. Public Transportation Emergency Relief funds Section 5324 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (f) Imposition of deadline (1) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Transportation may not require any project funded pursuant to this section to advance to the construction obligation stage before the date that is the last day of the sixth fiscal year after the later of— (A) the date on which the Governor declared the emergency, as described in subsection (a)(1); or (B) the date on which the President declared a major disaster, as described in such subsection. (2) Extension of deadline If the Secretary imposes a deadline for advancement to the construction obligation stage pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary may, upon the request of the Governor of the State, issue an extension of not more than 1 year to complete such advancement, and may issue additional extensions after the expiration of any extension, if the Secretary determines the Governor of the State has provided suitable justification to warrant an extension. .

Summary: Transportation Emergency Relief Funds Availability Act This bill revises the treatment of deadlines for federal-aid highways and public transportation projects emergency relief funds awarded by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The bill repeals the current two-year deadline for emergency relief projects to advance to the construction obligation stage. DOT must allow up to six years for projects funded through an emergency relief program to advance to construction. The new six-year deadline starts following the date on which a disaster was declared by a state's governor or the President.