MORE DOT Grants Act

To improve the process for awarding grants under certain programs of the Department of Transportation to certain counties in which the majority of land is owned or managed by the Federal Government and to other units of local government and Tribal governments in those counties, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the More Opportunities for Rural Economies from DOT Grants Act MORE DOT Grants Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) High-Density Public Land County The term High-Density Public Land County (A) that has a population of not more than 100,000 people, according to the most recent annual estimates of population by the Bureau of the Census; and (B) in which more than 50 percent of the land is owned or managed by the Federal Government. (2) Qualifying grant program The term qualifying grant program (A) the program for national infrastructure investments (commonly known as the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program national infrastructure investments Office of the Secretary Public Law 115–141 (B) the national infrastructure project assistance program (commonly known as the Mega Grant program (C) the nationally significant multimodal freight and highway projects program (commonly known as the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program (D) the rural surface transportation grant program established under section 173 of title 23, United States Code; (E) the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program established under section 11509 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ( 23 U.S.C. 101 Public Law 117–58 (F) the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program established under section 25005 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ( 23 U.S.C. 502 Public Law 117–58 (G) the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities competitive grant program established under section 5339(b) of title 49, United States Code; (H) the public transportation Low or No Emission Vehicle Program established under section 5339(c) of title 49, United States Code; (I) the public transportation innovation grant program established under section 5312 of title 49, United States Code; (J) the public transportation safety program established under section 5329 of title 49, United States Code; (K) the Federal lands access program under section 204 of title 23, United States Code; (L) the airport improvement program established under subchapter I of chapter 471 (M) the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements program under section 22907 of title 49, United States Code; and (N) any other discretionary grant program of the Department of Transportation under which grants are awarded to— (i) counties; (ii) other units of local government; or (iii) Tribal governments. (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Tribal government The term Tribal government 25 U.S.C. 5131 3. Grants (a) Reduction in local matching requirements Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to a High-Density Public Land County and any unit of local government or Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County, any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program shall be reduced by 50 percent. (b) Technical assistance On request of a High-Density Public Land County or any unit of local government or Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County, the Secretary shall provide additional technical assistance to the High-Density Public Land County, unit of local government, or Tribal government before and during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program. (c) Priority (1) Application approval In approving applications for a qualifying grant program, the Secretary shall give priority to an application from a High-Density Public Land County, unit of local government within a High-Density Public Land County, or Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County that has not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application. (2) Technical assistance and other support In carrying out subsections (b) and (e), the Secretary may give priority to a Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County. (d) Special consideration In approving applications for a qualifying grant program, the Secretary— (1) shall give special consideration to an application from a High-Density Public Land County or unit of local government within a High-Density Public Land County with respect to any rural set-aside designated for the applicable qualifying grant program by an Act of Congress; and (2) may give special consideration to an application from a Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County with respect to a rural set-aside described in paragraph (1). (e) Other support The Secretary may provide additional support, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, for a High-Density Public Land County or a unit of local government or Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County, including by considering and, if appropriate, offering flexibility with respect to any requirement of, or barrier to applying for or receiving assistance under, a qualifying grant program if the requirement or barrier relates to— (1) scoring criteria relating to numerical size and impact, such as the number of jobs created or the number of people served, which disadvantage small and isolated communities; (2) any requirement that an applicant for a qualifying grant program partner with other institutions, such as community colleges or foundations, which may not operate in the jurisdiction of the High-Density Public Land County, unit of local government, or Tribal government seeking assistance under the qualifying grant program; (3) any financial or cash-on-hand requirement that a High-Density Public Land County or a unit of local government or Tribal government within a High-Density Public Land County cannot meet for reasons other than any financial constraints to which the High-Density Public Land County, unit of local government, or Tribal government is subject; or (4) an overly complicated or overly technical application for a qualifying grant program that deters High-Density Public Land Counties or units of local government or Tribal governments within High-Density Public Land Counties from applying for the qualifying grant program.

Summary: More Opportunities for Rural Economies from DOT Grants Act or the MORE DOT Grants Act This bill revises the process for awarding grants to high-density public land counties and any units of tribal or local governments within such counties under certain Department of Transportation (DOT) programs. Examples of qualifying grant programs include the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, and the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). A high-density public land county is a county that has a population of not more than 100,000 people and in which the federal government owns or manages more than 50% of the land. For these jurisdictions, any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50%. On request, DOT must provide additional technical assistance to such jurisdictions before and during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program. DOT must also prioritize grant applications from such jurisdictions that have not received support under the qualifying grant program during the 10-year period preceding the date of the application. In approving applications for a qualifying grant program, DOT must give special consideration to an application from a high-density public land county or unit of local government within such a county with respect to any rural-set aside designated for the program. DOT may give special consideration to an application from a tribal government within such a county.