Memphis Standard

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and its Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, today applauded the Federal Railroad Administration’s funding opportunity for $5.8 million in the Interstate Rail Compacts (IRC) Program created by his Interstate Rail Compacts Advancement Act that became law when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act became law in 2021.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“Interstate rail compacts will advance passenger rail service such as between cities like Memphis and Little Rock and will provide the mechanism and technical assistance for greater cooperation between states in advancing passenger rail. I was proud to have introduced the Interstate Rail Advancement Act and was at the White House when President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that included its provisions. I will continue to work to improve passenger rail service and continue to advocate a passenger rail line between Memphis and Nashville.”

On May 8, the Federal Rail Administration published a notice of funding opportunity for the new, competitive IRC Program. Grants awarded through this program will be eligible to fund the costs of administering IRCs; systems planning, including studying the impacts on freight rail operations and ridership; promotion of intercity passenger rail operations; preparation of applications for competitive federal grant programs and operations coordination.

While the funds awarded through the IRC program will not directly fund rail capital projects, activities supported by it will help prepare entities implementing IRCs to deliver rail capital projects to communities across their regions that are aligned with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goals. 

Applications for funding under this program are due no later than 5 p.m. ET, July 10, 2023.

Original source can be found here.