New legislation designed to help rural communities better utilize funding and leverage existing U.S. Department of Transportation funding was introduced on Capitol Hill on Monday.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wick (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced S. 3842, the Rural Infrastructure Advancement Act that would establish a Rural Assistance Pilot Program that would provide rural areas with the financial, technical and legal assistance needed to apply for a loan or grant.
The program would help rural areas in all aspects of their infrastructure projects – from planning and application to development activities like project planning, feasibility studies, revenue forecasting, and evaluating opportunities for private financing and project bundling.
“Rural states, like my home state of Mississippi, often face challenges when trying to find the financial resources necessary to fund critical infrastructure projects, such as improving our roads and bridges,” Wicker said. “This bill would provide professional technical assistance to rural communities interested in utilizing existing financing programs. It is important that we provide these resources to support and advance rural infrastructure.”
Additionally, the Act would direct the DOT to develop an online portal for pilot program applications and ensure the DOT posts information about the pilot program online, including information about the resources available, the application process, and finding out about the status of applications that have already been submitted.