State Railroad Board Seeking STC Grant Applications
For Immediate Release:
Friday, Sept. 23, 2022
Contact:
Julie Stevenson, Strategic Communications Coordinator, 605-773-2898
PIERRE, S.D. – In preparation for the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) from U. S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on the availability of Special Transportation Circumstance (STC) Grant funding, the State Railroad board is soliciting applications for the FY2022 funding allocation.
The STC funds are directed grant funds from sums appropriated to the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program. The STC funds are non-competitive grants for three states but the projects must still meet eligibility requirements. The Federal funding share for STC grants is not to exceed 80% of the project’s total cost.
The State Railroad Board is preemptively requesting written reports and supporting information from interested parties. Once the information is submitted, and the grant requests are approved by the State Railroad Board, the state will file a STC grant request on behalf of the interested party. If the party is requesting funding from the State Rail Trust Fund to support proposed STC grant applications, include the amount in the application request. The written report for each proposed grant should include information identifying how the project will meet the NOFO and adhere to the goals established under the State Rail plan.
The written report should also include information identifying the statewide benefit achieved for the project. The narrative is to include details, in economic terms, of the merits of investing in the proposed project, provide supporting benefit cost calculations to demonstrate economic vitality of the proposed expenditure of funds, and if the project is already in the State Rail Plan. If State funds are being requested as part of the funding for the STC grant, the written report should emphasize the projects overall benefit to the public and the state.
The written report will include the following information:
• Narrative describing how the project meets each of the State Rail Plan goals
• Project Information Describing:
o Project Summary (project location, scope, and schedule)
o Proposed Project Funding (Federal, State, other)
o Project or Plan Readiness
o Environmental Readiness
o Overall Benefit with accompanying BCA ratio; if BCA ratio is available
o Proposed responsible party tasked with developing the application
o Proposed funding for creating the application
Interested parties should send written reports by 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, to SDDOT, Becker-Hansen Building, 700 East Broadway Ave, Pierre, SD 57501. The written reports should be 10 pages or less.
The Railroad Board will provide an opportunity for presentations at the meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. The decision on all applications will be dependent upon the date the NOFO is issued.
If selected by the Board for submittal of a STC grant application to FRA, the applicant will need to provide a fully completed grant application to SDDOT at a date to be determined yet.
About SDDOT:
The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to efficiently provide a safe and effective public transportation system.
Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov
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