PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 6, 1997
National Initiative on Surface Transportation and the Environment Act - Amends Federal highway provisions to expand eligibility for projects under the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a system for ranking projects and programs that are likely to have long-term sustainable air quality benefits and for providing funding for projects and programs that are ranked the highest under such system. Authorizes appropriations. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the authorization of appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund for the National Highway System and the surface transportation program (STP) shall be reduced in the aggregate by $400 million for each of FY 1998 through 2003. (Sec. 3) Requires that participation in assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites relating to specified projects provide a substantive and demonstrable benefit to transportation on such system, including reduction of congestion, increased use of mass transit, and improved access to a transportation facility. Permits contributions toward such efforts to occur in advance of project construction only if such efforts are consistent with Federal requirements and State transportation planning processes. Increases the percentage of funds apportioned to a State for the STP that must be obligated to urbanized areas with population of over 200,000 and other areas of the State in proportion to their relative share of the State's population. Makes Federal transit block grants, discretionary grants and loans, and financial assistance for other than urban areas available for assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites relating to specified projects if such development will provide a substantive and demonstrable benefit to mass transportation. (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to establish a wetlands restoration program under which the Secretary may make grants to States for projects to mitigate losses of wetlands that have occurred as a result of Federal-aid highway construction projects. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 5) Makes one percent of STP funds apportioned to a State for a fiscal year available for monitoring, mitigating, and cleaning up water pollution due to highway runoff. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program to assess the benefits of using porous paving materials for highways and parking lots as a method of mitigating such pollution. (Sec. 6) Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to up to ten metropolitan planning organizations designated for implementing alternative transportation strategies to achieve reductions in motor vehicle emissions. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary, on or before December 31, 2003, to award a grant to each of the ten States that the Secretary determines have achieved the greatest per capita reduction in fuel consumption between October 1, 1997, and September 30, 2003. Authorizes appropriations.
People & committees
Rep. Andrews, Robert E. [D-NJ-1] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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