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March 3, 2023
Infrastructure Update
Stay informed on national infrastructure programs, funding, and developments with our weekly article.
Press Releases
DHS Announces $2 Billion in Preparedness Grants
February 27, 2023 | Source: DHS
On Monday, DHS announced more than $2 billion in funding for eight Fiscal Year 2023 preparedness grant programs.These grant programs provide critical funding to help state, local, tribal and territorial officials prepare for, prevent, protect against and respond to acts of terrorism. DHS has identified six national priority areas in the FY 2023 grant cycle: cybersecurity; soft targets and crowded places; intelligence and information sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Grant recipients under the SHSP and UASI will be required to dedicate a minimum of 30% of their awards across these six priority areas.
DOE Announces Availability of BIL Program to Improve Energy Systems in Rural Areas
March 1, 2023 | Source: DOE
On Wednesday, DOE announced $300 million for projects that increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience and $15 million for a prize competition to help rural communities build the capacity needed for clean energy development and deployment. The Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program will award projects that increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience with an anticipated federal cost share ranging from $5 to $100 million per project. The funding is flexible to meet various project types with $5 to $10 million for a single site demonstration project and up to $100 million for a single or multi-site demonstration project that benefits multiple communities. DOE seeks to provide equal opportunity to qualified applicants and enable potential replication in rural and remote communities across the nation. DOE also is launching the Energizing Rural Communities Prize to support capacity building to remove two of the biggest barriers to improving energy systems in rural or remote areas: developing necessary partnerships and securing financing. Through $15 million in funding, this prize competition will help build partnerships by connecting communities to government funding and a network of partners that can help implement clean energy projects.
USDOT Announces more than $12 Million in Funding for the U.S. Marine Highway Program
March 1, 2023 | Source: DOT
On Wednesday, DOT’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced $12,423,000 available in FY 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The USMHP seeks to increase the use of America’s navigable waterways, especially where water-based transport is the most efficient, effective, and sustainable option. The USMHP helps to create maritime jobs, strengthen the nation’s supply chains, reduce emissions, and lower maintenance costs. Applications must be submitted by April 28, 2023.
NITA requests Input on Upcoming Digital Equity Programs
March 1, 2023 | Source: NTIA
On Wednesday, NTIA announced a RFI for $2.7 billion in grant programs to ensure high-speed Internet access nationally. The goal of the Digital Equity Act’s $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the $1.25 billion Competitive Digital Equity Program—each a part of NTIA’s Internet for All initiative—is to promote the adoption and meaningful use of the Internet among underrepresented communities and populations, including low-income households, veterans, aging individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents and others. This request for comment is part of NTIA’s larger strategy to hear from a diverse set of voices while implementing high-speed Internet grant programs. NTIA requests feedback on the design, rules, and evaluation criteria for both digital equity programs.
EPA Announces Over $250 Million to Fund Innovative Projects That Tackle Climate Pollution
March 1, 2023 | Source: EPA
On Wednesday, EPA announced the availability of $250 million to develop innovative strategies to cut climate pollution and build clean energy economies. These planning grant are the first tranche of funding going to states, local governments, Tribes, and territories from the $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The program provides flexible planning resources for states, Tribes, territories, and municipalities to develop and implement scalable solutions that protect people from pollution and advance environmental justice. All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are eligible to receive $3 million in grant funds. In addition, each of the 67 most populous metropolitan areas in the country are eligible to receive $1 million for plans to tackle climate pollution locally.
DOE Releases Guidance for Second Award Cycle of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $6 Billion Civil Nuclear Credits Program
March 2, 2023 | Source: DOE
On Thursday, DOE released application guidance for the second award cycle of the Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program. The $6 billion investment will prevent the premature retirement of nuclear reactors across the country. Nuclear reactors are a reliable and consistent energy resource with stable generation capacity allowing the grid to more effectively integrate electricity from variable energy resources like solar and wind, while providing all Americans access to clean, resilient and affordable electricity, anytime, anywhere. While the first award cycle limited eligibility to owners or operators of nuclear power reactors that had announced intentions to retire within the four-year award period, the second award cycle is open to owners or operators of nuclear reactors that are at risk of closure by the end of the four-year award period, including such reactors that ceased operations after November 15, 2021.
Featured Awards:
DOT Announces Nearly $1B in BIL Airport Funding
February 27, 2023 | The DOT funding helps meet the growing demand for air travel and invests in key areas to help get travelers in and out of airports more quickly and improve the passenger experience by investing in new baggage systems, larger security checkpoints and improved ground transportation. Other projects increase terminal sustainability and improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Several grants will address the needs of aging air traffic control towers. The investments will go to airports in 47 states and two territories.
DOT Announces First-Ever Awards from Program to Reconnect Communities
February 28, 2023 | DOT announced $185 million in grant awards for 45 projects through the new Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative to reconnect communities that are cut off from opportunity and burdened by past transportation infrastructure decisions. Awarded projects will provide technical assistance and funding for communities’ planning and construction projects that aim to connect neighborhoods back together by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation barriers such as highways and railroad tracks.
Federal Funding Opportunities:
| Opportunity Number | Opportunity Title | Agency | Deadline | Funding |
| DE-FOA-0002828 | BIL: DE-FOA-0002828: To Address Key Deployment Challenges for Offshore, Land-Based, and Distributed Wind | DOE-GFO | 03/10/2023 | $27,900,000 |
| FTA-2023-006-TPE | Areas of Persistent Poverty Program | DOT-FTA | 03/10/2023 | $20,041,870 |
| DE-FOA-0002890 | Research on General Plasma Science Collaborative Research Facilities | PAMS-SC | 03/27/2023 | $3,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002969 | BIL: State Manufacturing Leadership Program, Section 40534 | DOE-NETL | 03/31/2023 | NOI |
| DE-FOA-0002779 | Additional Clean Hydrogen Programs (Section 40314): Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) | DOE-GFO | 04/7/2023 | $1,250,000,000 |
| FTA-2023-002-TPM-LWNO | FY 2023 Low or No Emission Vehicle Program | DOT-FTA | 04/13/2023 | $1,221,350,117 |
| FTA-2023-003-TPM-BUS | FY 2023 Buses and Bus Facilities Program | DOT-FTA | 04/13/2023 | $469,445,424 |
| DE-FOA-0002756 | 2022 FOA for Energy Improvements at Public K-12 School Facilities - BIL - Renew America's Schools | DOE-GFO | 04/21/2023 | $80,000,000 |
| FOA-ETA-23-31 | DOL Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program | DOL-ETA | 04/23/2023 | $80,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002920 | Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office Funding Opportunity Announcement in Support of Hydrogen Shot | DOE-GFO | 04/28/2023 | $47,000,000 |
| MA-PID-23-001 | 2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program Grants | DOT-MA | 04/28/2023 | $662,203,512 |
| DE-FOA-0002907 | BIL Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program Section 40209 | DOE-NETL | 06/08/2023 | $350,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002826 | BIL Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Pilot Demonstrations | DOE-GFO | 06/16/2023 | $74,000,000 |
Committee Hearings on Infrastructure:
Upcoming Hearings:
Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
2:30 PM (EST) | 3/7/23
Hearings: to examine the air, climate, and environmental impacts of crypto-asset mining, including an original bill entitled, "The Crypto-Asset Environmental Transparency Act".
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
9:00 AM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness Day 1
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: Innovation Through Collaboration: The Department of Energy’s Role in the U.S. Research Ecosystem
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: Pipeline Safety: Reviewing Implementation of the PIPES Act of 2020 and Examining Future Safety Needs.
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearings: to examine implementation of the Aircraft, Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act.
House Committee on Small Business
2:00 PM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: Small Business Perspectives on the Impacts of the Biden Administration's Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule
House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
2:00 PM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: “Burning the Midnight Oil: Why Depleting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is Not a Solution to America’s Energy Problem, Part I"
House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation
2:00 PM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: “Advances in AI: Are We Ready For a Tech Revolution?”
House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife
2:00 PM (EST) | 3/8/23
Hearing: Oversight hearing titled “Benefits and Access: The Necessity for Multiple Use of Water Resources”.
House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/9/23
Hearing: The Federal Aviation Administration’s Flight Plan: Examining the Agency’s Research and Development Programs and Future Plans
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/9/23
Hearing: FAA Reauthorization: Securing the Future of General Aviation
Past Hearings:
House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
10:00 AM (EST) | 2/28/23
Hearing: United States, China and the Fight for Global Leadership: Building a U.S National Science and Technology Strategy
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
10:00 AM (EST) | 2/28/23
Markup: the Authorization and Oversight Plan for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy
10:00 AM (EST) | 2/28/23
Meeting: Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Markup
House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
10:15 AM (EST) | 2/28/23
Hearing: Legislative hearing on the following bills: “Transparency and Production of American Energy Act of 2023”; and “Permitting for Mining Needs Act of 2023”
House Committee on Natural Resources
2:00 PM (EST) | 2/28/23
Hearing: Legislative hearing on “Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews Act of 2023”
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change
2:00 PM (EST) | 2/28/23
Meeting: Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Markup
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
10:00 AM (EST) | 3/1/23
Meeting: Hearings to examine the nomination of Joseph Goffman, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
