December 23, 2016

Dear Congress and Administration:

On behalf of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), and National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), we are pleased to provide for you the shared priorities of our organizations regarding federal support for collaborative regional planning and implementation; robust investment in public infrastructure; and the importance of supporting economic development and growth in areas of all sizes across the nation.

As the premier national membership organizations for the nation’s regional councils of governments, regional development organizations, and metropolitan planning organizations, our members serve as partners to local and state governments to provide coordinated regional and local planning, program implementation, and leadership support for local elected officials and staff, as well as community, business, and civic leaders. A regional approach improves the efficiency of program delivery and decision making, avoiding duplication of services and additional levels of bureaucracy.

We are pleased to offer a series of policy recommendations for your consideration. The items we have proposed willenhance regional cooperation, boost economic development, and ensure greater coordination of federal investments at the state and local levels.

Regional planning plays a vital role in supporting local communities, both urban and rural. Regional planning organizations and metropolitan planning organizations improve the delivery of services within the regions in which they operate, and give local officials an amplified voice in the future development of their communities. The proven track record of success that these organizations bring to the table make them an essential partner in the development of vibrant, economically diversecommunities that help increase the quality of life for their citizens.

Economic development is supported primarily at the regional level, rooted in the cities, towns, and counties that make up a particular region. Regional organizations and local governments therefore play a vital role in providing and expanding economic opportunities for their citizens, and understanding the bigger economic picture. This broader, regional understanding provides the appropriate view of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges that are essential to improving a region’s economic future.

Providing access to these economic opportunities through coordinated and robust transportation choices is vital to economic success. Additional related challenges, including community development, homeland security, and environmental stewardship are often multijurisdictional in nature and therefore require a regional perspective. The following recommendations are made with this idea in mind.

AMPO, NADO, and NARC look forward to working with you and the new administration to advance our shared vision and goals for the nation.

Sincerely,

Council Member Elaine Clegg Executive Director Lynne Keller Forbes Commissioner Ronald L. Shaffer
City of Boise, ID South Eastern Council of Governments Johnson County, KS

President, AMPO President, NADOPresident, NARC

The nation’s infrastructuresystem is an essentialelement of our economic well-being. A multi-decade federal investment in the nation’s Interstates, roadways, rails, and transit systems is the basis for our global economic competitiveness. Maintenance of what we have already built and significant new investments can form the basis for increased and sustained future economic growth. President-elect Trump’s call for a significant investment in the nation’s infrastructure is welcome. To the extent this approach focuses on private investment tax credits to spur financing of large projects, it will help with large-scale projects in larger regions. We look forward to working with USDOT to identify new funding that will also support smaller-scale projects in regions of every size.

Below are a series of recommendations related to infrastructure funding and the federal infrastructure-related programs:

  1. Increase funding to maintain and improve the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Authorization levels in the recently passed FAST Act did represent a modest increase in funding, but there exists wide agreement that more significant increases are necessary in the future.
  1. Restore the solvency of the federal Highway Trust Fund. Federal taxes on gasoline and diesel have remained unchanged since 1993. As a result of inflation and increasing fuel efficiency, there is a widening gap between gas tax revenue and federal spending to support the surface transportation program. Congress has commissioned numerous panels to address and report on methods to address HTF insolvency, and we recommend action be taken on these recommendations.
  1. Send new funding directly to regions using existing funding mechanisms. The current transportation program contains a number of successful and longstanding programs through which funding can be distributed to states and local areas. Of primary importance is the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBGP), which provides a portion of funding directly to metropolitan areas over 200,000 in population. This ensures local priorities are met and empowers local elected officials.We encourage further empowerment of local officials by sending a portion of increased funds directly to regions. The FAST Act makes possible the distribution of any new fundingabove current authorized levels, through STBGP and other existing programs, due to a provision in the bill that permits new funding committed to the nation’s Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to be used to increase the bill’s existing funding levels. Increasing funding to all apportioned programs is essential to address infrastructure needs across the country.
  1. Reverse burdensome “MPO Coordinating” regulation.A recently final rulemaking will have significant impact on the nation’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). This new rule requires more than one-third of the nation’s MPOs to undertake lengthy and expensive actions – either merging or reconsidering their entire planning process – that will slow down project planning and delivery and cost unknown millions of planning dollars.This rule should be reversed.
  1. Begin consideration of new funding sources. To provide sustainable transportation funding into the future, there is wide agreement that the federal fuels taxes will not be enough. New sources – such as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) charge – have promise, but it will take many years to study alternatives and implement a replacement to the fuels taxes. The FAST Act started us on the path to possible solutions, but more needs to be done.
  1. Properly calibrate the funding/financing balance of any package.Financing has an important role to play in the maintenance and improvement of our infrastructure system. Many projects can attract significant private funding, and should be encouraged and allowed to do so where it makes sense. It is important, however, that an infrastructure package contain both funding and financing. There is no replacement for new funding, which will go a long way to ensure improving infrastructure and creating jobs. Financing options should be scaled to make them available to local and regional entities whenever possible and appropriate.
  1. Make surface funding a significant piece of an overall infrastructure package. There is no question that the nation has significant infrastructure needs that require federal funding and attention. The ability of surface transportation spending to stimulate economic growth and create jobs is well documented. The needs of the surface transportation system are also very high. If Congress passes an infrastructure package, we suggest that surface transportation receive the largest portion of the available funding.
  1. Avoid “stimulus” style project prioritization.The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) contained funding for infrastructure, but prioritized so-called “shovel ready” projects that could be implemented in the shortest possible time period. While getting money out quickly is certainly an important consideration, it is not the only consideration. We suggest a process that ensures the funded projects are highly prioritized by the communities in which they are built and will bring the greatest benefit to the region and the nation at large.
  1. Utilize regional organizations to coordinate water, wastewater, and broadband projects.Regional approaches to economic development have demonstrated a path of cooperation and coordination among business leaders, governmental entities, non-profits, and educational institutions in rural areas. Successful strategic investments in infrastructure improvements related to water, wastewater, broadband, health care, and community services in rural America rely on the effective harnessing of partnerships at the regional level to leverage resources. Rural regions, counties, and communities do not have adequate capital to execute development projects without these extended partnerships. Effective leveraging requires regional practitioners to integrate program delivery to most efficiently and effectively achieve regionally and locally driven results.
  1. Continue the move toward local empowerment started in previous legislation. The FAST Act transportation reauthorization increased the share of the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBGP) that is distributed directly to MPOs in areas over 200,000 in population. This allows for more direct local decision-making and empowers local decision makers. We encourage an even greater share of STBGP be directed for local use, and that suballocation also be considered for other programs.
  1. Find new ways to reduce the regulatory burden on project development. The FAST Act took a number of important steps toward streamlining the study and development of new infrastructure projects by making common sense changes to the existing requirements and processes. We encourage that more of these be implemented, without undermining the core protections that relevant statutes provide to protect communities and natural and other resources. The changes could have an even more significant impact if they concentrate on small-dollar projects. This is particularly important if new funding is provided through an infrastructure package.
  1. Provide federal support to rural area needs. The nation’s metropolitan and rural areas have important roles to play in the overall economic health of the nation. For examples, goods moving from one metropolitan area to another or to a port invariably pass through one or more rural areas during the journey. Given this important interplay, rural areas need support to ensure they are able to thrive. Under current distribution of funding, decision-making for rural areas rests with states, giving them little local control.

About Our Organizations

The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) is the transportation advocate for metropolitan regions and is committed to enhancing MPOs’ abilities to improve metropolitan transportation systems.

Metropolitan areas are the nation’s economic engines. Most of America’s population live and work in these regions, which drive the nation’s economy and compete head-to-head with regional economies in other countries. Because the pricing of our goods and services in the international marketplace largely determines our ability to compete successfully, we must be able to transport these goods and services efficiently. The quality of metropolitan transportation infrastructure — highways, bridges, airports, transit systems, rail, and ports — is, therefore, a primary factor in American economic competitiveness.

AMPO is a nonprofit, membership organization established in 1994 to serve the needs and interests of “metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs)” nationwide. Federal highway and transit statutes require, as a condition for spending federal highway or transit funds in urbanized areas, the designation of MPOs, which have responsibility for planning, programming and coordination of federal highway and transit investments. AMPO offers its member MPOs technical assistance and training, conferences and workshops, frequent print and electronic communications, research, a forum for transportation policy development and coalition building, and a variety of other services. The nine-member AMPO Board of Directors is directly elected by the membership, including the President and Vice President.

Founded in 1967, the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) promotes regional solutions, partnerships, and strategies that enhance the long-term economic competitiveness and quality of life across America’s local communities. The association’s core membership serves the nation’s 520 regional planning and development organizations – known locally as councils of governments, economic development districts, local development districts, and regional councils – who provide valuable professional and technical assistance to over 2,500 counties and 15,000 small towns and cities.

The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) serves as the national voice for regionalism by advocating for regional cooperation as the most effective way to address a variety of community planning and development opportunities and issues. NARC’s member organizations – regional councils, regional planning and development agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations – are comprised of multiple local governments that work together to better serve their communities. For fifty years, NARC has represented the interests of its members and has advanced regional cooperation through effective interaction and advocacy with Congress, federal officials, and other related agencies and interest groups. NARC’s agenda includes transportation, economic and community development, environment, public safety, emergency management, and a variety of community issues undertaken by its member organizations.

AMPO-NADO-NARC Transition Letter | 1