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Newsline Washington
M ar c h 1 8 , 2 0 1 3
House and Senate Panels Unveil Competing Budget Proposals
Senate To Move This Week on Restoring MAP-21 Investment
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) last week shepherded through their committees competing budget proposals for FY 2014. The plans are expected to be brought before their respective chambers later this week. It should be noted that congressional budget resolutions do not set specific programmatic spending levels, but rather identify macro goals and allow individual Continued on page 4
House Panel Reviews MAP-21 Implementation The House Transportation and Infrastructure Highways and Transit Subcommittee March 14 held a hearing focused on ensuring the Obama Administration is implementing MAP-21 enacted reforms to help streamline the surface transportation project approval process, consolidate federal transportation programs, and improve accountability.
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The full Senate is expected to pass this week a proposal to fund federal activities for the remaining six months of FY 2013. The so-called “continuing resolution” (CR) is necessary because the temporary funding measure passed last fall expires March 27. The Senate legislation would honor the FY 2013 authorized levels of $39.7 billion for highways and $10.6 billion for transit. Conversely,
the House-passed CR would maintain transportation investment at FY 2012 levels of $39.1 billion for highways and $10.5 billion for transit. Several House GOP lawmakers have indicated they will accept the Senate’s efforts to fully appropriate the amounts authorized for transportation in last year’s Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).
ARTBA and its colleagues in the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) wrote to all Senators March 12 urging them to honor investment commitments made eight months ago when Congress overwhelmingly approved MAP-21. The TCC also previously wrote February 25 to all House and Senate appropriations committee Continued on page 4
Applications for PRIDE Award Nomination Due March 29 ARTBA Washington Newsline
FHWA Considers Changes to Highly-Used Safety Manual ARTBA March 13 urged the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to maintain its Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in one volume instead of splitting it in two. FHWA is considering dividing the MUTCD into two documents, with one volume containing mandatory standards, and a second “Applications Supplement” containing additional “support” and “opinion” guidance. In its comments, ARTBA underscored the need to keep traffic control signs and devices standard throughout the country, and recommended FHWA withhold any decision with regard to changing the MUTCD until the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices has completed a thorough review of the document, which is currently underway. Dividing the manual could create uncertainty over which volume to reference, leading to unintentional violations of traffic control device standards. ARTBA will monitor the situation and keep you abreast of changes to any future MUTCD policies.
Please view this short, one-minute video to learn how you can help end the gridlock by urging your members of Congress to fix the Highway Trust Fund.
2013
Upcoming Events Visit our Events Page for more information. Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-In June 3-5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Young Executive Development Program June 3-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum June 5 Washington, D.C.
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25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 24-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program October 28-30 San Jose, Calif.
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013) November 19-20
Regional Meetings
Western: December 2-3, Austin, Texas Central: December 4-5, St. Louis, Mo. Southern: December 9-10, Charlotte, N.C. Northeastern: December 11-12, Baltimore, Md.
2013 AWARD DEADLINES PRIDE AWARDS
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HALL OF FAME
Honoring excellence in
Honoring U.S. transportation
Honors individual or families
community relations & public
construction industry
from the public and private
education that enhance the
excellence in environmental
sectors who have made
image of the U.S. transportation
protection & mitigation.
extraordinary contributions
construction industry.
DEADLINE: APRIL 12
to U.S. transportation
DEADLINE: MARCH 29
development.
DEADLINE: APRIL 12
SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 3-5 2013 ARTBA Federal Issues Program & Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In
Products & Services Support ARTBA’s Foundation & 2013 Work Zone Safety Week
With National Work Zone Awareness Week scheduled for April 15-19, the ARTBA Foundation has two popular products you can purchase to show your commitment to safety and also help support the “Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship Fund.” Work Zone Awareness Safety Ribbons: These one-inch-bythree-inch adhesive ribbons are made from retro-reflective orange tape and are the perfect accessory. Wear them on the jobsite or at meetings. Minimum order 15 ribbons per page for $15. Work Zone Safety Awareness Wristbands: The Livestrong Foundation first made them famous and now their are replicas all over the world. Wear your bright orange wristbands on the jobsite or at meetings to show your support for work zone safety. Minimum order 20 wristbands per bag for $40. To Purchase: www.artbastore.org
Featuring the ARTBA Foundation Awards Dinner
JUNE 3-5 Hyatt Regency Washington
View the 2013 Federal Issues Program schedule of events and sponsorship opportunities. LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Washington Register Online! For sponsorship opportunities, contact Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434.
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“”
Overheard
Legislative & Regulatory News MAP-21 Investment Levels Continued from page 1
“There are so many blanks in Ryan’s budget that it could be a Mad Libs exercise. But this is not a game. It’s black-box budgeting — an expression of lofty aims, with binders full of magic asterisks in lieu of specific cuts to government benefits. If this were a fitness plan, Ryan, a former personal trainer, would be telling Americans that under his revolutionary program, they could lose 50 pounds in 10 weeks without dieting or working out.” March 13 op-ed “Ryan’s magical budget” by “Washington Post” columnist Dana Milbank.
“If we’re going to find bipartisan solutions [on the federal budget], the president will have to move beyond the same proposals and Democratic dogma. For all of Washington’s focus on the president’s outreach to Republicans, it’s his engagement with members of his own party that will determine whether we succeed in dealing with the challenges facing our economy.” March 14, “Washington Post” op-ed, “Obama’s outreach is nice, but where’s the leadership?” by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).
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members urging them to adhere to the MAP-21 authorized levels. We will keep you apprised of developments as they occur.
Competing Budget Proposals Continued from page 1
committees of jurisdiction to make specific policy/funding decisions. With respect to future federal transportation investments, both plans are similarly vague, but offer very different approaches. The House Budget Committee proposal contains identical references to federal transportation investment as have been included in the last two House budget resolutions: “The mechanisms of federal highway and transit spending have become distorted, leading to imprudent, irresponsible, and often downright wasteful spending. Further, however worthy some highway projects might be, their capacity as job creators has been vastly oversold, as demonstrated by the extravagant but unfulfilled promises that accompanied the 2009 stimulus bill, particularly with regard to high-speed rail.” House Budget Committee staff confirmed the proposal assumes full-funding of MAP-21’s highway and public transportation investment levels in FY 2014. Similar to past House budgets, however, the plan does not assume any new Highway Trust Fund revenue after MAP-21 expires and assumes spending will be dramatically reduced to what current revenues can support.
The Senate proposal calls for a bold vision to upgrade the nation’s transportation network for the next century. It also recommends a “$100 billion targeted jobs and infrastructure package” that would consist of: • $50 billion to repair high-priority existing transportation infrastructure facilities; • $10 billion for port, dam and waterway improvements; • $10 billion for an infrastructure bank to provide loans and loan guarantees for significant projects; • $20 billion for technology infrastructure investments in schools; and • $10 billion for worker training. Many of these proposals are similar to proposed Obama Administration initiatives. The Senate budget proposal highlights the revenue challenges facing the Highway Trust Fund and says a solution is needed, but does not advance a proposal to support future federal investment in the core transportation programs. Like its House counterpart,
the Senate Budget Committee has not yet released specific assumptions for individual transportation programs in FY 2014 and beyond. We will keep you apprised on further details and developments regarding the House and Senate budget proposals.
House Reviews MAP-21 Implementation Continued from page 1
Subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-Wis.) highlighted the necessity for continued progress on MAP-21 provisions to ensure projects can move forward more efficiently and that resources are being put to best use. Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator, David Strickland all appeared before the committee to provide general progress reports on guidance
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A service of ARTBA’s multimodal councils, it features current transportation developments making news across all modes and regions. Contact Sara Jones to become a subscriber or visit www.artbamultimodal.org.
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TRB Newsletter: March 13
and rulemaking progress pertaining to the MAP-21 mandates. Mendez said MAP-21’s historic consolidation of various highway programs is “helping to provide our grantees with flexibility to delivery projects more efficiently” and also noted the Department’s continuing work to develop a national freight policy—a long-supported ARTBA recommendation. The Highway Trust Fund’s structural revenue deficit was also prominently discussed by members of both parties. While all acknowledged the situation had to be addressed, few offered solutions.
Appeals Court Hears Arguments in EPA Permit Veto Case The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments March 14 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ongoing effort to cancel a previously issued Clean Water Act (CWA) permit from a West Virginia mining operation. Last year, a lower court sided with ARTBA and industry allies by holding EPA had violated its authority when it revoked the permit, calling EPA’s actions “illogical and impractical.” In their response to EPA’s appeal, ARTBA and its allies urged the lower court ruling be upheld, stressing that while EPA’s initial action may involve a single mining operation, revoking a valid CWA permit could set a dangerous precedent that threatens existing and future permits in other industries. There is no timetable for the court’s decision.
EPA Announces Stricter Air Quality Standards, New Roadside Monitors The U.S. EPA March 14 announced a decision to tighten federal Clean Air Act (CAA) standards for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2). The decision will impact transportation construction as states and localities which do not meet the new standards would be put in jeopardy of losing federal highway funds. ARTBA urged EPA in November 2012 not to tighten NO2 standards by using EPA’s own data to demonstrate that significant NO2 reductions are already underway, eliminating the need for stricter regulation. ARTBA pointed out that enacting new regulations “would be self-defeating” as transportation improvements “are major contributors to the dramatic reductions underway in NO2 and other pollutants.” EPA also stated it would move forward with plans to place new NO2 monitors by heavily travelled roadsides in urban areas. ARTBA has repeatedly argued to EPA that using roadside monitors creates a false picture of county-wide air quality, as emissions levels by heavily travelled roads will naturally be higher than other areas.
ARTBA News ARTBA Hosts Clean Air Forum Meeting ARTBA March 8 hosted a meeting at its headquarters of the Clean Air Forum (CAF)—a group of more than 40 industry trade associations representing multiple sectors of the economy, including agricultural, manufacturing and transportation interests. The
CAF meets monthly to explore current issues relating to the federal Clean Air Act. Many of the issues CAF examines directly impact ARTBA and its members, including National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)—which, if not met, can lead to states and localities having federal highway funds being withheld. The March meeting featured a discussion of an ARTBA-supported settlement between the cement industry and the U.S. EPA. ARTBA is a regular participant in CAF’s monthly meetings.
Obama Administration Continues to Advocate for High Speed Rail ARTBA, along with other industry stakeholders, participated in a March 13 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) roundtable to discuss the state of intercity passenger rail in America. While high-speed passenger rail (HSR) has been a key element of the Obama Administration’s transportation policy, congressional support for such efforts has been uneven and future federal investment in high-speed rail remains uncertain. At the forum, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood spoke ardently about making a well-connected passenger rail system a reality in America and outlined the progress made to-date. Other DOT officials emphasized the economic benefits of HSR and discussed in depth how those benefits could positively shape the country’s future economy.
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Efficient transportation system is crucial to economy, way of life By Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) Transportation is the lifeblood of the American economy and our way of life. An efficient national transportation network allows businesses to lower transportation costs, which in turn lowers production costs and costs to consumers. It allows American businesses to be competitive in the global marketplace and for our economy to prosper and grow. Our national transportation system also binds us together. As former President Eisenhower observed, without the unifying force of transportation, “we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts.” The truth of this statement was borne out early in our nation’s history. The Articles of Confederation failed because they provided no means for Congress to regulate commerce between the states. This weakness was underscored by a dispute between Maryland and Virginia regarding navigation rights on the Potomac River, which prohibited the nation from ensuring a coordinated system of canals and portage roads across the Allegheny Mountains. Adam Smith, the father of modern economics and author of The Wealth of Nations, argued the three essential duties of government are to provide security, preserve justice and erect and maintain public works to facilitate commerce. Our Founding Fathers also understood the important role of the national government in carrying out these responsibilities. They wisely remedied the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by directing Congress, in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, to establish post roads and to regulate interstate commerce. In doing so they laid the groundwork for connecting the country through trade and travel and recognized the critical role of an efficient, robust infrastructure network. Since that time, there has been a clear and consistent federal role and a national interest in developing, maintaining and supporting the vital transportation infrastructure that connects American consumers, manufacturers and farmers to domestic and world markets. From the Transcontinental Railroad to the Panama Canal to the Interstate Highway System, Congress has continued to invest in infrastructure to ensure the connectivity of the nation and to support the needs of the American economy and the American people.
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The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is continuing that work in the 113th Congress. As one of our first orders of business, the committee is taking the lead in promoting legislation to address our nation’s port and waterway infrastructure needs through a Water Resources Development Act. Improving waterways and coastal ports for commerce, navigation and national security is the most federal of infrastructure responsibilities. Among the very first acts of the first Congress of the United States was to authorize the construction of navigation improvements, such as lighthouses, at the new nation’s harbors. Nearly 200 years ago, Congress authorized improvements to be made on the Ohio River to facilitate navigation to the west and the newly acquired Mississippi Valley. The channels, locks and dams and other infrastructure that support our maritime and waterways transportation system are vitally important to a healthy national economy. The contributions of this infrastructure today are staggering. Nearly one-third of our gross domestic product is derived from international trade, the bulk of which is waterborne. More than $3.8 billion worth of goods move in and out of U.S. seaports each day, generating $200 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue each year. The U.S. maritime industry provides 13 million jobs. More than 60 percent of America’s grain exports move by barge along our inland waterways, accounting for $8.5 billion in exports each year. Our inland waterways and seaports link our nation directly to the global economy. They are critical components of our transportation network, but the system is only as effective as the quality of the infrastructure. We will remain competitive only if we can get our goods to market through efficient transportation. Ensuring a sound infrastructure network is a shared responsibility, with a strong federal role recognized by the Founding Fathers. By working together and building consensus on what is best for our transportation systems, we can continue to promote competitiveness, prosperity and economic growth for the future of our nation. This op-ed first appeared March 13 in “The Hill.”
Live 60 Min. Webinar 1st Quarter Transportation Construction Market Report & Legislative Update MARCH 21 1-2 p.m., Eastern PRICE: MEMBERS-$100 NON-MEMBERS-$125
Register Now! It’s now March, the budget cuts known as the sequester, are taking effect. And we are now facing a new congressionally-orchestrated budget crisis that requires Congress and the President to reach an agreement on funding federal operations for the remainder of FY 2013 or risk a government shutdown. It raises the question: What do these developments mean for the U.S. transportation design and construction market in the months ahead? Dr. Alison Premo Black, ARTBA’s chief economist and Dave Bauer, ARTBA’s top government affairs expert, will address this question during a live 60-minute March 21 webinar. Among the other topics they will cover: • Highway and bridge market conditions during the first quarter of 2013 and the outlook for the remainder of the year. • Trends in the airport runway, transit & rail, and ports & waterways markets. • An overview of which state markets are faring well… and which aren’t. • Status of new transportation investment proposals at the state level. • Legislative update on the Highway Trust Fund’s financial challenges, FY 2012 appropriations bill and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). This event is for ARTBA members, industry analysts and other construction industry executives. Participants will be able to ask questions and will receive a copy of the PowerPoint presentation. THE PRESENTERS: ARTBA’s Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black earned her doctorate from The George Washington University. She routinely develops ARTBA’s economic products, reports and state studies, and has conducted numerous studies examining national and state transportation funding and investment patterns.
ARTBA Senior Vice President of Government Relations Dave Bauer joined the association in 1997 after spending seven years on Capitol Hill as a key staffer on the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. He has extensive expertise on federal transportation capital investment issues and programmatic improvements, and leads ARTBA’s direct lobbying, grassroots initiatives, and 7 ARTBA Washington Newsline policy development.