News

Trump announces budget and infrastructure outline

02.12.18-Trump-budget-infrastructure-plan

President Donald Trump’s 2018-19 budget and infrastructure plan has been released.

The plan calls for 200-billion federal dollars over 10 years for infrastructure, including 50-billion for rural infrastructure and 100-billion for an incentives program that would encourage local and state investment in projects while funding up to 20% of the projects.  The President anticipates a total infrastructure investment of more than 1.5 trillion dollars.

Eighty percent of the 50-billion dollars allocated to rural infrastructure would be block grants to the states, with the other 20% for rural performance grants.  All of these dollars have to be used for projects in areas with fewer than 50-thousand people.

The President’s budget calls for expediting the project review times and a “one agency-one decision” approval process.

Trump is asking Congress to allow entities other than the Army Corps of Engineers to do construction and operations on inland waterways, and allow both the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Interior to retain recreational user fees for maintenance without sending those funds to the U.S. Treasury.

The President’s plan also calls for additional subsidies under the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service lending programs, cuts permitting costs for small cellular and Wi-Fi antennae sites, and expands the ability for states to collect tolls and commercialize rest areas on Interstate highways.

Trump’s plan is getting mixed reviews in Congress.