By Ron Thaniel
April 19, 2010

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced April 13 the availability of $81.2 million in discretionary resources for the Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities Program and $75 million in discretionary resources for the TIGGER program. The discretionary resources are designed to encourage transit projects that promote the usage and development of energy efficient technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

The Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities program has a two-fold purpose. First, the program was developed to assist nonattainment and maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and CO. The second program purpose is to support emerging clean fuels and advance propulsion technologies for transit buses and markets for those technologies.

Eligible applicants under the Clean Fuels Grant program are recipients in maintenance or non-attainment areas for ozone or CO, which are entities designated to receive federal urbanized formula funds. The FTA will also accept applications from direct recipients, tribes for rural areas, and State Departments of Transportation in attainment areas.

Eligible projects include purchasing or leasing clean fuel buses, constructing or leasing clean fuel bus facilities and related equipment, and projects relating to clean fuel, biodiesel, hybrid electric, or zero emissions technology buses that exhibit equivalent or superior emissions reductions to existing clean fuel or hybrid electric technologies.

The TIGGER program also has a two-fold purpose. First, for capital investments that will assist in reducing the energy consumption of a transit system. And, second, for capital investments that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions of a public transportation system.

The FTA has established a range of funding that will be considered for approval. Each submitted project must request a minimum of $1,000,000 and must not exceed a maximum of $25,000,000. Applications for projects less than $1,000,000 may be applied for if they are part of a consolidated proposal submitted by the State DOT, which in total, meets or exceeds the $1,000,000 threshold.

Only public transportation agencies or state DOTs may apply for the TIGGER grant.

Eligible expenses must be an eligible capital expense as defined under 49 U.S.C. 5302(a)(1); and the project will assist in the reduction of the energy consumption of a public transportation system and/or the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of a public transportation system.

To view the federal/local matching requirements and funding restrictions for both grants go the Federal Register at http://www.fta.dot.gov/laws/leg_reg_86.html. For proposal specific information contact the appropriate FTA Regional Administrator. For general information on the Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities Program, contact Juan Morrison, Office of Program Management, at 202-366-7005 or juan.morrison@dot.gov. For general information on the TIGGER grant, contact Walter Kulyk, Office of Mobility Innovation, at 202-366-4995 or walter.kulyk@dot.gov.

Remember the deadlines! Clean Fuels/Bus and Bus Facilities Grant Deadline is June 14, and TIGGER Deadline is August 11.