Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program

valid date 6/9/98

STATUTORY LANGUAGE FROM TEA-21 (P.L. 105-178) 6/9/98

SEC. 1119. COORDINATED BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.

(a)   General Authority. --

The Secretary shall establish and implement a coordinated border infrastructure program under which the Secretary may make allocations to border States and metropolitan planning organizations for areas within the boundaries of 1 or more border States for projects to improve the safe movement of people and goods at or across the border between the United States and Canada and the border between the United States and Mexico.

(b)   Eligible Uses. --

Allocations to States and metropolitan planning organizations under this section may only be used in a border region for --

(1)   improvements to existing transportation and supporting infrastructure that facilitate cross-border vehicle and cargo movements;

(2)   construction of highways and related safety and safety enforcement facilities that will facilitate vehicle and cargo movements related to international trade;

(3)   operational improvements, including improvements relating to electronic data interchange and use of telecommunications, to expedite cross border vehicle and cargo movement;

(4)   modifications to regulatory procedures to expedite cross border vehicle and cargo movements;

(5)   international coordination of planning, programming, and border operation with Canada and Mexico relating to expediting cross border vehicle and cargo movements; and

(6)   activities of Federal inspection agencies.

(c)   Selection Criteria. --

The Secretary shall make allocations under this section on the basis of --

(1)   expected reduction in commercial and other motor vehicle travel time through an international border crossing as a result of the project;

(2)   improvements in vehicle and highway safety and cargo security related to motor vehicles crossing a border with Canada or Mexico;

(3)   strategies to increase the use of existing, underutilized border crossing facilities and approaches;

(4)   leveraging of Federal funds provided under this section, including use of innovative financing, combination of such funds with funding provided under other sections of this Act, and combination with other sources of Federal, State, local, or private funding;

(5)   degree of multinational involvement in the project and demonstrated coordination with other Federal agencies responsible for the inspection of vehicles, cargo, and persons crossing international borders and their counterpart agencies in Canada and Mexico;

(6)   improvements in vehicle and highway safety and cargo security in and through the gateway or affected port of entry concerned;

(7)   the degree of demonstrated coordination with Federal inspection agencies;

(8)   the extent to which the innovative and problem solving techniques of the proposed project would be applicable to other border stations or ports of entry;

(9)   demonstrated local commitment to implement and sustain continuing comprehensive border or affected port of entry planning processes and improvement programs; and

(10)   such other factors as the Secretary determines are appropriate to promote border transportation efficiency and safety.

(d)   Construction of Transportation Infrastructure for Law Enforcement Purposes. --

At the request of the Administrator of General Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary may transfer, during the period of fiscal years 1998 through 2001, not more than $10,000,000 of the amounts made available by section 1101 to carry out this section and section 1118 to the Administrator of General Services for the construction of transportation infrastructure necessary for law enforcement in border States.

(e)   Definitions. --

In this section, the following definitions apply:

(1)   Border region. -- The term ``border region'' means the portion of a border State in the vicinity of an international border with Canada or Mexico.

(2) Border state. -- The term ``border State'' means any State that has a boundary in common with Canada or Mexico.