Bridge Quality Preservation Act
Bill: S.5275 | Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. (D-PA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Bridge Quality Preservation Act
This bill establishes certain requirements to address corrosion control in bridge and railroad-bridge projects that receive federal assistance.
Specifically, certified contractors must employ a substantial number of individuals who are certified by a qualified training program in corrosion control, mitigation, and prevention in order to work on certain aspects of bridge project activities. A certified contractor must also provide training for any non-certified coating applicators employed by the contractor to work on a project.
The bill further requires bridge projects to implement a corrosion management system that utilizes industry-recognized standards and corrosion mitigation and prevention methods for construction, repair, and maintenance projects.
In addition, the bill expands the scope of the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program to include corrosion control work on rail bridges. (This program provides direct loans and loan guarantees for the development of railroad infrastructure.)
The bill also requires the Department of Transportation to study best practices for inspecting and addressing corrosion on weathering steel bridges. This report must be made available to state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional organizations.

To require that certain aspects of bridge projects be carried out by 
             certified contractors, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bridge Quality Preservation Act''.

SEC. 2. CORROSION PREVENTION FOR BRIDGES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Applicable bridge project.--The term ``applicable 
        bridge project'' means a project for construction, replacement, 
        rehabilitation, preservation, or protection, other than de 
        minimis work, as determined by the entity carrying out the 
        project, on--
                    (A) a bridge project that receives financial 
                assistance under title 23, United States Code; or
                    (B) a project for a railroad bridge (as defined in 
                section 237.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations 
                (or successor regulations)) that receives financial 
                assistance under title 49, United States Code.
            (2) Certified contractor.--The term ``certified 
        contractor'' means a contracting or subcontracting firm that 
        has been certified by a third-party organization recognized 
        industry-wide that evaluates the capability of the contractor 
        or subcontractor to properly perform 1 or more specified 
        aspects of an applicable bridge project described in subsection 
        (b)(2).
            (3) Qualified training program.--The term ``qualified 
        training program'' means a training program in corrosion 
        control, mitigation, and prevention that is--
                    (A) offered or accredited by an organization that 
                sets industry corrosion standards; or
                    (B) an industrial coatings applicator training 
                program--
                            (i) registered under the Act of August 16, 
                        1937 (commonly known as the ``National 
                        Apprenticeship Act'') (50 Stat. 664, chapter 
                        663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.); and
                            (ii) that meets the standards of subpart A 
                        of part 29 and part 30 of title 29, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
    (b) Applicable Bridge Projects.--
            (1) Quality control.--A certified contractor shall carry 
        out aspects of an applicable bridge project described in 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Aspects of applicable bridge projects.--Aspects of an 
        applicable bridge project referred to in paragraph (1) 
        include--
                    (A) surface preparation or coating application on 
                steel, concrete, or rebar of an applicable bridge 
                project;
                    (B) removal of a lead-based or other hazardous 
                coating from steel or concrete of an existing 
                applicable bridge project; and
                    (C) shop painting of structural steel or rebar 
                fabricated for installation on an applicable bridge 
                project.
            (3) Corrosion management system.--In carrying out an 
        applicable bridge project, the entity carrying out the project 
        shall--
                    (A) implement a corrosion management system that 
                utilizes industry-recognized standards and corrosion 
                mitigation and prevention methods to address different 
                considerations, including--
                            (i) surface preparation;
                            (ii) protective coatings;
                            (iii) materials selection;
                            (iv) cathodic protection;
                            (v) corrosion engineering;
                            (vi) personnel training; and
                            (vii) best practices in environmental 
                        protection to prevent environmental degradation 
                        and uphold public health; and
                    (B) require certified contractors, for the purpose 
                of carrying out aspects of applicable bridge projects 
                described in paragraph (2), to employ a substantial 
                number of individuals that are trained and certified by 
                a qualified training program as meeting the ANSI/NACE 
                Number 13/SSPC-ACS-1 standard (or a successor 
                standard).
            (4) Certification.--For an applicable bridge project that 
        includes an aspect described in paragraph (2), the entity 
        carrying out the project shall only accept bids from a 
        certified contractor that presents written proof that the 
        certification of the contractor meets the relevant SSPC-QP 
        standards (or a successor standard).
    (c) Training Program.--As a condition of entering into a contract 
for an applicable bridge project, each certified contractor shall 
provide training for each individual who is not a certified coating 
applicator but that the certified contractor employs to carry out 
aspects of applicable bridge projects described in subsection (b)(2).

SEC. 3. AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR CORROSION CONTROL 
              WORK ON RAIL BRIDGES.

    Section 22402(b)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (G); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
                    ``(F) to perform corrosion control work on rail 
                bridges; or''.

SEC. 4. STUDY ON EFFICACY OF WEATHERING STEEL.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
            (1) weathering steel is often used for bridge construction 
        projects because of its ability to withstand weather conditions 
        better than other forms of steel;
            (2) the recent collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in 
        Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in January 2022 highlights the real 
        threat that corrosion poses to the bridges of the United 
        States;
            (3) more research is needed into the vulnerabilities of 
        weathering steel; and
            (4) States and units of local government need more 
        information on when and how to address the risk of corrosion to 
        weathering steel.
    (b) Study.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall--
            (1) carry out a study on best practices for--
                    (A) the frequency and method of inspecting 
                corrosion on weathering steel bridges; and
                    (B) addressing corrosion on weathering steel 
                bridges;
            (2) submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
        of the Senate, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the results of the study under 
        paragraph (1); and
            (3) make the report under paragraph (2) available to State 
        departments of transportation, metropolitan planning 
        organizations (as defined in section 134(b) of title 23, United 
        States Code), regional transportation planning organizations 
        (as defined in that section), and units of local government 
        that own bridge assets.
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