FTA finalizes new guidelines for CIG program
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has finalized guidance for its Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, which it says included eliminating complex calculations for a ‘social cost of carbon’ criteria forced on project sponsors by the previous administration.
FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro said the guidance “is another example of how FTA is slashing red tape and getting back to basics under the leadership of President [Donald] Trump and [U.S. Department of Transportation] Secretary [Sean] Duffy, so we can deliver projects for the American people.”
FTA says it will revert to a previously used methodology that relies on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards designation, based on the city in which a transit project is located. The update amends FTA’s CIG Policy Guidance published in December 2024 and includes the feedback FTA received when it published its proposed CIG policy guidance for public comment in August. Among the 16 respondents providing comments were transit agencies, interest groups, policy organizations and individuals.
“More than half of transit agencies who responded to our change agreed with dumping this Green New Scam calculations,” Molinaro said. “When common sense wins, America can build again.”
FTA will use this guidance for the CIG program’s fiscal year 2026 Annual Report ratings, which is available on FTA’s website.