National High Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to establish an initiative to promote intercity and urban passenger rail operations and transportation-oriented development by creating rail projects qualified for federal incentives for communities to encourage dedicated revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor development. Authorizes the Secretary to designate up to four qualified pilot projects.
Amends the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to direct the Secretary to provide direct loans and loan guarantees for qualified rail projects. Authorizes the Secretary to make secured loans, loan guarantees, or lines of credit for such projects.
Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to: (1) state, local, or regional authorities to identify transportation-oriented development opportunities; (2) states, localities, and regions outside the Northeast Corridor to establish regional authorities and identify existing and potential stations within the region to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the development of a high performance intercity or urban rail passenger corridor; and (3) states and local or regional entities along the Northeast Corridor to establish a Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented Development Working Group and identify Northeast Corridor existing and potential stations to maximize development and commercial revenue generation to support financially the creation of a true high-speed rail corridor in the Northeast Corridor.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1544 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1544
To promote transportation-oriented development and encourage dedicated
revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor development.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 12, 2013
Mr. Petri (for himself and Mr. Lipinski) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote transportation-oriented development and encourage dedicated
revenue sources for urban and regional rail corridor development.
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 ``National High Performance Passenger
Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of 2013''.
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish an initiative to
promote intercity and urban passenger rail operations and
transportation-oriented development by creating incentives for
communities to encourage dedicated revenue sources for urban and
regional rail corridor development.
(b) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall obtain the services of
qualified independent private sector entity with experience in
transportation-oriented development to serve as a liaison between the
Federal Government, State and local authorities, private sector
participants, and appropriate other stakeholders in the initiative.
Such entity shall--
(1) serve as a development planning advisor, by advancing
and recommending methodologies to use in the overall
implementation of the initiative;
(2) provide recommendations as requested by the Secretary,
which shall include recommendations on--
(A) liaison between the Federal Government, and
State, local, or regional applicants for incentives
under the initiative;
(B) mechanisms for coordination among all
stakeholders, including State, local, and regional
authorities;
(C) types of projects that should receive
incentives under the initiative; and
(D) mechanisms for providing technical assistance
and types of technical assistance that should be
provided; and
(3) conduct a preliminary transportation-oriented
development survey on the Northeast Corridor or other local
station areas or regional corridors.
(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall harmonize planning
requirements and direct coordination and administration of the
initiative between the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal
Transit Administration.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL INCENTIVES.
(a) Qualified Projects.--
(1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall establish criteria for
the designation of projects qualified for Federal incentives
pursuant to this section and the amendments made by this
section.
(2) Types of projects that may qualify.--Projects that may
qualify for Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the
amendments made by this section are commercial development or
other projects that--
(A) contribute to the generation of revenue by the
capture of increasing value from development around
station areas, through the establishment of special
assessment districts, increasing the tax base,
promoting job growth, promoting cost effectiveness,
facilitating intermodal connectivity, combining
congestion relief with station development, stimulating
economic development, or any other appropriate means;
(B) are likely to make long-term contributions to
rail corridor development funds or similar mechanisms
that help finance intercity and urban passenger rail
infrastructure or operating expenses; and
(C) provide for a quantifiable revenue stream to
the relevant station or rail operation.
(3) Applicant coordinating authority.--An applicant for
Federal incentives pursuant to this section and the amendments
made by this section shall be a State, local, or regional
authority. Such authority shall provide for coordination among
stakeholders, local governments, and private developers in the
defined region, and shall be the lead party in the application.
(4) Projects authorized.--Except as provided in subsection
(b), projects are not authorized to receive Federal incentives
pursuant to this section and the amendments made by this
section until the date that is 1 year after the report required
under subsection (c) is transmitted to Congress.
(b) Pilot Projects.--The Secretary may designate up to 4 pilot
projects as qualified for Federal incentives pursuant to this section
and the amendments made by this section before the date specified in
subsection (a)(4).
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, after consultation with each
State, local, or regional authority coordinating a pilot project under
subsection (b), shall transmit to Congress a report assessing the
success or failure of each such pilot project and making any
appropriate recommendations for modifications to the initiative under
this Act.
(d) Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement Financing.--Section 502 of
the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45
U.S.C. 822) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph
(5);
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph
(6) and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(7) persons conducting a qualified project (as defined by
the Secretary under section 3 of the National High Performance
Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented Development Act of
2013).''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)--
(A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph
(B);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (C) and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(D) conduct a qualified project (as defined by
the Secretary under section 3 of the National High
Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented
Development Act of 2013).''.
(e) Transportation Infrastructure Finance.--Section 601(a)(12) of
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D)
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(E) a qualified project (as defined by the
Secretary under section 3 of the National High
Performance Passenger Rail Transportation-Oriented
Development Act of 2013).''.
(f) Application Priority.--In general, Federal applications to the
Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration for
railroad projects that participate in the transportation-oriented
development initiative under this Act shall receive a priority for
funding in the application decision process.
(g) Revenue Neutral Program Cost.--The Secretary shall establish
and apply to recipients of Federal incentives pursuant to this section
and the amendments made by this section a fee in an amount sufficient
to cover the administrative costs of carrying out this Act, including
section 2(b).
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
(a) National Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide
technical assistance to applicants and potential applicants for Federal
incentives pursuant to this Act and the amendments made by this Act
with respect to--
(1) identification of transportation-oriented development
opportunities;
(2) establishment of special assessment districts in
regions;
(3) establishment of rail corridor development funds; and
(4) expediting Federal, State, and local regulatory
approvals.
(b) States, Localities, and Regions Outside the Northeast
Corridor.--The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to the
States, localities, and regions outside the Northeast Corridor as
identified by the Secretary, including--
(1) technical assistance on the establishment of regional
authorities appropriate to carrying out the purposes of this
Act at the regional level; and
(2) technical assistance at the request of a State, local,
or regional entity to identify stations and potential stations
within a region and conduct a preliminary survey of property
available and potentially available, to maximize development
and commercial revenue generation to financially support the
development of a high performance intercity or urban rail
passenger corridor.
(c) Northeast Corridor.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to the States and local or regional entities along the
Northeast Corridor, including--
(1) technical assistance on the establishment, by the
Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory
Commission established under section 24905 of title 49, United
States Code, of a Northeast Corridor Transportation-Oriented
Development Working Group, which shall--
(A) include outside members with expertise in
transportation-oriented development;
(B) be supported by the independent private sector
entity retained by the Secretary under section 2(b);
(C) be chaired by a designee appointed by the
Secretary who is an expert with private sector
transportation oriented development experience; and
(D) advise the Secretary and the Northeast Corridor
Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission on
the ways and means for carrying out the purposes of
this Act at the regional level; and
(2) not more than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, technical assistance to identify Northeast Corridor
stations and potential stations and conduct a preliminary
survey of property available and potentially available, to
maximize development and commercial revenue generation to
financially support the creation of a true high-speed rail
corridor in the Northeast Corridor.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E448)
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
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