Document KzEGMBrBqpLJpJQ7XOMbmXabQ

From: Sent: To: Subject: Pulizzi, George (Banks) Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:27:38 +0000 Matesic, Hannah (OST) RE: Build Grant Status This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Thank you so much! The Banks office is so happy you're over at DOT. George Pulizzi Legislative Assistant SenatorJim Banks (R-IN) b)(6) JIM BANKS U.S. SENATO From: Matesic, Hannah (OST) <hannah.matesic@dot.gov> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 1:15 PM To: Pulizzi, George (Banks) <George_Pulizzi@banks.senate.gov> Subject: Re: Build Grant Status Hey! Looking like the end of June for announcements, no specific date yet. Will circle up as we get closer to making decisions / announcements. Hannah From: Pulizzi, George (Banks) <George_Pulizzi@banks.senate.gov> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 12:44:20 PM To: Matesic, Hannah (OST) <hannah.matesic@dot.gov> Subject: Build Grant Status This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Hannah, OST-2025-1200 Page 03372 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0029080 Thanks for getting back to us so quickly on PROTECT and RAISE grants. That's why you're the best in the biz! Hate to annoy you again, but any chance you could give an update on BUILD grants? We sent a letter in support of a BUILD grant application for a project in Allen County, IN (attached). The organization who applied sent the below newsletter they got from the Rails to Trails Conservancy and it spooked them. Any info you could provide, I'd really REALLY appreciate it! Thanks again for everything, George Julia-- The news on federal funding for trails, walking and biking continues to be challenging as updates out of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) show little movement for active transportation projects, while Congress' proposal to rescind millions in awarded funding for trails, walking and biking makes progress. Here's a snapshot on recent updates and what you can do to advocate to protect federal funding for the country's trail networks. Congressional Funding Threats OST-2025-1200 Page 03373 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0029081 Last week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed its proposal for the budget reconciliation bill, which cuts unobligated funding for the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) program--through which over $748 million for active transportation projects was initially awarded. Passing the bill out of committee is the first step in the process to get a final reconciliation bill, which Congressional leaders aim to send to the president before July 4 and will require much negotiation between the House and the Senate to get there. RTC is deeply concerned about this funding attack. Rescinding these funds undermines the value of active transportation, harming the places that were awarded grants while doing nothing to address the growing, unmet demand for safe, connected walking and biking routes. This is the first example in many years of Congress attempting to claw back active transportation grants, and it's important that we make clear the harm it will cause. If you are among the communities that has received an NAE award, or your representative supports the T&I committee's proposal, engage your federal representatives to make sure they understand how important this program--and your project--is. We need to make it known that it would be harmful to take back sorely needed resources that their region worked hard to receive and are counting upon to make the community safe and economically vibrant. USDOT Updates on Grant Reviews and Agreements On the USDOT front, Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the department has approved 180 grant agreements. While this is a small fraction of the 3,200 grants that the administration says remain without agreements and are still pending review, it is encouraging to see initial movement. Very few of the announced agreements included active transportation. However, of the projects moving forward is a nearly $10 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant to the City of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, that provides safe walking and biking infrastructure for vulnerable users, suggesting there may not be a blanket prohibition on these projects. This announcement does not reduce the risk for the $3 billion in discretionary grants for trails, walking and biking that are under review. While it continues to be unclear how the USDOT is reviewing active transportation projects and what criteria will be used to approve, modify or cancel projects, this announcement offered insight to projects addressing DEI and climate change elements. Specifically, the USDOT stated an intention to eliminate the "social cost of carbon accounting ... greenhouse gas emission reporting, and ... DEI language." RTC continues to engage USDOT staff, and we are tracking the status of grants to inform specific advocacy. If you have updates on the status of your grant, please OST-2025-1200 Page 03374 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0029082 share here or contact Isabelle Lord at isabelle(&railstotrails.orq or 202.974.5131. We will continue to be in touch with updates from Congress and the administration. In partnership, Kevin Mills Vice President of Policy " Rails to Trails Conservancy Web Version I Forward to a Friend I RTC Home You are receiving this message because the email address is subscribed to our email list. Be sure that this message doesn't get sent to your junk-mail folder. Please add Rails to Trails Conservancy (infoArailstotrails.org) to your safe senders list in your address book. Please do not reply to this message, contact us by visiting our website. Rails to Trails Conservancy 2445 M Street, NW, Suite 650 Washington, DC 20037 1.866.202.9788 railstotrails.orq Edit your subscription I Unsubscribe OST-2025-1200 Page 03375 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0029083 George Pulizzi Legislative Assistant Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) IM(6) JIM BANNS CDSEDIED OST-2025-1200 Page 03376 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0029084