Washington Report – July 22, 2024

Latest News

New IIJA Notices of Funding Opportunities

• The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced two new Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA):
  • Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, which provides funding for highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects to improve safety and movement for people and goods
  • State and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and public port authorities are amongst those entities eligible to apply by the Sept. 23 deadline
  • Stage 2 for Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants, which only recipients of Stage 1 planning and prototype grants, or eligible entities designated by Stage 1 SMART grant recipients can apply and applications are due by August 14
  • The intention of Stage 2 SMART grant funding is to implement plans and prototypes developed in Stage 1, and SMART grants are for advancing smart city or community technologies and systems to improve efficiency and safety of transportation.

Join APWA’s Government Affairs Team on July 30 for a Free IIJA Webinar!

• In its eighth webinar on IIJA, the APWA Government Affairs Team will host Valerie Boulet, executive director of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program Office (BPO) at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who will discuss FEMA’s implementation of this historic law and its impact on public works;
• Tune in at 11 a.m. ET, July 30, to learn more about FEMA’s programs and support to local communities and how FEMA is addressing disaster-related challenges;
• Register here.

White House Proposes Action to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

• The White House has proposed a new rule, to be administrated by the Department of Labor, to provide additional protections for workers from extreme heat;
• The proposed rule would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive heat;
• This includes requiring employers to evaluate heat risks and implement requirements for drinking water, rest breaks, and control of indoor heat;
• The rule would require the creation of a plan to protect new or returning workers unaccustomed to working in high heat conditions.

FEMA Announces New Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Rule

• FEMA has published a new policy to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS);
• Key points of FFRMS include:
  • Providing a flexible framework to increase resilience against flooding and help protect communities
  • Allowing FEMA to weigh implementing the best available science in making projects and communities more resilient to increased flood conditions
  • The rule applies to FEMA-funded activity related to new construction, substantial improvement, or repairs to substantial damage
  • It also applies to Hazard Mitigation Assistance projects involving structure elevation, dry floodproofing and mitigation reconstruction
• FFRMS will be effective Sept. 9.

FEMA Releases 2023 Resilience Year in Review Report

• FEMA released its 2023 Resilience Year in Review report and focused on three key areas:
  • Promoting equity by working to ensure that all communities, especially those historically underserved, have access to the resources and support needed to strengthen their resilience
  • Expanding climate resilience programs by implementing innovative strategies and programs to address the challenges posed by climate change
  • Improving community readiness by offering targeted assistance and legislative reforms to better support communities in their resilience efforts.

EPA Releases Updates to Water Funding Portal

• The State Revolving Fund Public Portal allows users to access data from the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs on the EPA’s website;
• The SRF Public Portal provides data in a user-friendly, accessible format for states, utilities, and anyone interested in where water infrastructure investments are being made;
• The portal allows users to access and create downloadable reports, engage with SRF data through summary dashboards, and now includes an interactive map of SRF projects across the country.

EPA Touts Inflation Reduction Act Programs

• As part of EPA’s Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative, EPA is hosting stops across the country to help communities across the nation navigate Inflation Reduction Act investments and other new funding opportunities, upcoming dates include:
  • July 26 in Providence, RI
  • Aug. 5 in Baltimore
  • Aug. 8 in Salt Lake City
  • Aug. 15 in Milwaukee
• Additionally, on July 25 at 2 p.m. ET, EPA’s Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division will host a webinar on Microgrids and DERs for Water and Wastewater Utilities;
  • The webinar will include a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) presentation on the basics of microgrids and DERs and case studies for how they have been implemented at utilities.

On the Horizon

All times ET.

• July 23 at 10 a.m. the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freights, and Ports is scheduled to hold a field hearing Examining the Impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Transportation Infrastructure;
• July 23 at 2 p.m. the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on Examining the State of Rail Safety in the Aftermath of the Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio;
• July 24 at 9:30 a.m. the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing Examining the Dept. Of Transportation’s Regulatory and Administrative Agenda;
• July 24 at 1 p.m., CISA will host a webinar on the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to outline practical solutions to help organizations improve their emergency communications capabilities;
• July 24 at 1 p.m., EPA will have a listening session on the Proposed Water System Restructuring Assessment Rule, which outlines a framework for states, public water systems, and the communities they serve to evaluate options for restructuring to help ensure safe, reliable drinking water;
• July 25 at 9:30 a.m. the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark-up FY25 appropriations bills for Commerce, Justice, Science, and State and Foreign Ops, and Transportation Housing and Urban Development;
• July 25 at 2 p.m., the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is hosting a webinar about updates on its Digital Equity Program;
• July 30 at 1 p.m., EPA will host a CWA NPDES Inspector Training Webinar, which will discuss types of industrial stormwater facilities that are required to obtain permit coverage focusing on eligibility requirements, industrial sectors, and no exposure.

Explore APWA’s Member Advocacy Tools:

• APWA Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Resource page
• APWA Government Affairs LinkedIn
• APWA Government Affairs on X
• 118th Congress Public Policy Priorities and Policymaker Primers
• APWA Washington Report
• Legislative Action Center
• “What is Public Works?”
• Tell Your Story
• Public Works Research