42 U.S.C. § 16101: Railroad efficiency

The Secretary shall (in cooperation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency) establish a cost-shared, public-private research partnership involving the Federal Government, railroad carriers, locomotive manufacturers and equipment suppliers, and the Association of American Railroads, to develop and demonstrate railroad locomotive technologies that increase fuel economy, reduce emissions, and lower costs of operation. $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. for assistance in purchasing hybrid or other energy-efficient locomotives, including hybrid switch and generator-set locomotives; and to demonstrate the extent to which such locomotives increase fuel economy, reduce emissions, and lower costs of operation. Notwithstanding subsection (a), no grant under this section may be used to fund the costs of emissions reductions that are mandated under Federal law. the level of energy efficiency that would be achieved by the proposed project; the extent to which the proposed project would assist in commercial deployment of hybrid or other energy-efficient locomotive technologies; the extent to which the proposed project complements other private or governmental partnership efforts to improve air quality or fuel efficiency in a particular area; and the extent to which the applicant demonstrates innovative strategies and a financial commitment to increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions of its railroad operations. A railroad carrier or State or local government seeking a grant under this section shall submit for approval by the Secretary of Transportation an application for the grant containing such information as the Secretary of Transportation may require. The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a national solicitation for applications for grants under this section and shall select grantees on a competitive basis. The Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall not exceed 80 percent of the project cost. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 19, 2007 ], the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the pilot program carried out under this section. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2011 to carry out this section. Such funds shall remain available until expended.”