Budget deal zeroes out high speed rail

Keeps sustainable partnership

David Crossley, Apr 13, 11.

Funding for high-speed rail was eliminated from this year’s budget as other transportation programs absorbed deep cuts, according to the details of the deal between President Obama and Congressional Republicans to cut $38 billion in spending and keep the government funded through September as reported by Transportation for America:

James Corless, director of Transportation for America, issued this statement in response:

The decision to halt progress on modernizing our world-lagging rail network is emblematic of an overall failure of congressional leadership and vision. Once again, Congress finds itself lurching from appropriations bill to appropriations bill, creating and killing programs and keeping outdated programs on life support, while China and Europe surge forward. The resulting chaos is undermining our ability even to repair and maintain our existing infrastructure, much less build a a 21st century transportation system that will allow us to compete in an increasingly global economy.

The one bright spot is that Congress preserved – though at a slightly lower level – the merit-based TIGER and sustainable communities programs, which promote competition and fund innovative, multi-disciplinary solutions to our transportation challenges. When Congress takes up the next transportation authorization, which is increasingly urgent, it must build on this sort of approach, while resurrecting a vision that can move us ahead of our international competitors.

The budget deal zeroes out high-speed rail funding from $2.5 billion enacted in fiscal year 2010. The one week extension to keep the government running through Friday had cut high-speed rail funds back to $1 billion for fiscal year 2011. Those funds had not been committed to any states because Congress never finalized a budget for fiscal year 2011. In addition to the $1 billion, the budget rescinds $400 million from fiscal year 2010 that had been returned by Florida Governor Rick Scott earlier this year.

Other cuts include:

The New Starts program, a key source of funding for transit projects, is reduced to $1.6 billion.
The TIGER program is reduced to $528 million from $600 million, a loss of $72 million.
The Partnership for Sustainable Communities is reduced from $150 million in FY10 to $100 million.
$3.1 billion in highway contract authority that has not been obligated to specific projects is also cut.

The total cuts to the New Starts program depends on the comparison. The $1.6 billion figure is $400 million less than fiscal year 2010 levels, but only about $220 million less than what the President requested for this year. Of the savings, $200 million became unobligated after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie chose to cancel his state’s planned ARC tunnel project. Seven projects are expected to be impacted by the New Starts cuts.

The final figure for New Starts is only slightly more than what the House passed in HR. 1 several weeks ago. HR1 would have also eliminated funding for high-speed rail and TIGER grants.

High speed rail down but not out

The Wonk Room has published a list of quality of life initiatives that were cut in the budget deal:
Environmental Protection Agency: $1.6 billion, including $50 million from science and technology programs, $110 million from environmental programs and management, $4 million from buildings, $10 million from Superfund, $797 million from the Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds program, and $223 million in other state and tribal assistance grants
High-speed rail: $1.4 billion
Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program: $860 million (worth $18 billion in loans)
Wildland fire programs: $735 million
Defense Environmental Cleanup: $584 million
Energy efficiency and renewable energy: $550 million
National Science Foundation research: $444 million
International Clean Technology and Strategic Climate Funds: $400 million
Land and Water Conservation Fund: $318 million
Department of Energy Office of Science: $252 million
Department of Interior Climate Programs: $116 million
Green jobs innovation fund: $40 million
No funds are allowed to be used to establish the NOAA Climate Service