Ayotte Introduces Bill to Strengthen Transportation Infrastructure in New Hampshire

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) announced today that she is introducing legislation that will bolster efforts in New Hampshire to establish a state infrastructure bank that leverages state and federal transportation dollars to attract private investments to help fund local transportation initiatives. Ayotte's bill aims to update a federal highway law, "MAP 21," which inadvertently prevents states from using federal resources to help capitalize state infrastructure banks.

"Federal rules shouldn't prevent New Hampshire and other states from maximizing the effectiveness of federal transportation dollars," said Senator Ayotte. "This legislation will give states the flexibility to use a portion of their federal highway money to help capitalize state infrastructure banks, which pools public and private resources to finance local transportation priorities."

Although a previous federal highway law approved in 2005 allowed up to 10 percent of a state's federal highway allocation to be used for the creation of a state infrastructure bank, the authorization to do so expired in 2009. Senator Ayotte's bill would revive this option for fiscal years 2013 and 2014. Once the initial capitalization is repaid, the bill would give states more control over subsequent rounds of lending.

State Senator Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) has led state legislative efforts to establish a state infrastructure bank. In September, she learned that current federal law wouldn't permit New Hampshire to use a portion of its federal highway aid to do so.

Senator Carson said: "I'd like to thank Senator Ayotte for her leadership on this issue. Senator Ayotte understands that municipalities back home are struggling to fund needed local projects and that a state infrastructure bank is a useful tool to help them maximize their dollars."

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