The Trump administration is focused on cutting DEI and climate change provisions from the U.S. Department of Transportation's grant programs while state level officials ponder a future beyond the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the latest DOT budget proposal.
"The stack of paper we sent over the OMB was a mass set of ideas on what we can do to improve this version of surface reauthorization," said Sean Duffy, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
"We have a top line number. We know the Congress is going to work their will so, I'm not going to tell you what those are. There's a lot of great ideas. Some you'd love, and some you might be like, yeah there's partisanship in there."
The comments came on Tuesday as Duffy faced the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, an audience keenly interested in the status of the surface transportation reauthorization.
The DOT is required to submit their budget request to the Office of Management and Budget for the next fiscal year by the first Monday in February.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and its funding to states is set to expire in September. Transportation officials are hoping the $1.2 trillion infrastructure investment program passed under the Biden administration represents a solid baseline for a new STR.
A Republican controlled Congress has already signaled a return to a more
The BIL deployed billions in government grants, which often require local matching funds that could be raised through bond sales.
Duffy's DOT has stayed busy removing grant provisions related to diversity, equity and inclusion provisions along with measures designed to cap carbon emissions.
"We wanted to take out the social cost of carbon," said Duffy.
"Not that we shouldn't think about carbon, and you shouldn't think about the environment. That's all really great, but I don't think it was helping the deliverable."
Some of the deliverables include a network of electric vehicle chargers that was being paid for through the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program. The DOT was frustrated with the pace of progress and froze funding to the states last year. The freeze was then overturned in court.
"With the NEVI program, that's something that probably half of you agree with and half of you disagree with," said Duffy. "I was on the side of I disagree with it, but the Congress gave the money for us to build chargers."
The DOT is also attempting to steer around pedestrians and bicycles.
"When we're spending money on sidewalks or bike paths I don't know if that's the federal interest," said Duffy.
"I think if the community wants to do that, if the state wants to do that, or if at one point we have an A-grade in our infrastructure, and we have money left. Let's spend it on these other projects."
The Secretary reiterated his concerns about safety on mass transit systems and truck drivers who can't speak English.
He also touted the DOTs efforts to recalibrate the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program which aims to increase gas mileage and reduce tailpipe emissions.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has been doing its own work on the STR effort by holding hearings and hammering out policy.
"We're in a tough spot right now," said Duffy. "It's going to be hard. The clock is ticking, especially in an election year, but hope springs eternal."
