Sec. 405. Decarbonizing America’s highways
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In this section: The term alternative fuel route means a highway corridor that has been designated under section 151(a) of title 23, United States Code. The term decarbonization means reducing and eliminating the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas. The term National Highway System has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 23, United States Code. The term Program means the national highway decarbonization program established under subsection (b).
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary shall establish a national highway decarbonization program. The goals of the Program are— to accelerate the deployment of alternative fuel and charging infrastructure along the National Highway System; to reduce and displace fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions due to vehicles traveling on the National Highway System; and to encourage the innovation and investment necessary for zero-emissions vehicles to travel long distances.
The Secretary shall establish a competitive process to select projects that lead to the decarbonization of the National Highway System and alternative fuel routes through research, development, and deployment of the infrastructure and technologies necessary to support long-distance travel of zero-emissions vehicles. In selecting participants for the Program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall only consider applications (including joint applications) submitted by entities that— are private nongovernmental entities; and are headquartered in the United States.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish a set of selection criteria for the grant competition that includes— offering the highest cost-share relative to the value of the Federal grant offered under the Program; to the maximum extent practicable, serving as a model of deployment for other private entities across the United States; and such other criteria as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. Not later than 120 days after the date of publication by the Secretary of the selection criteria described in paragraph (3), any eligible entity under paragraph
(2)may apply to the Secretary to receive a grant. In each application, the applicant may apply for a grant of not more than $50,000,000. Funds provided by a grant under this subsection may be used— to deploy technologies and infrastructure that support long-distance travel of zero-emissions vehicles, including— battery-charging stations; battery-swap facilities; hydrogen refueling stations; catenary systems; and second-generation advanced biofuels refueling stations; and to carry such other activities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. A grant provided under this subsection shall be subject to a minimum non-Federal cost-sharing requirement of 80 percent. The Secretary shall determine the appropriate cost share for each selected applicant. The Secretary may reduce or eliminate the cost-sharing requirement described in subclause (I), as the Secretary determines to be necessary. The Secretary shall not require repayment of the Federal share of a cost-shared activity under this section as a condition of providing a grant. The Secretary shall— determine what data will be required to be collected by participants in the Program and submitted to the Secretary to permit analysis of the Program; and develop metrics to determine the success of the deployment communities. As a condition of participation in the Program, an applicant shall provide any data determined by the Secretary under subparagraph (A). In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall, as appropriate, provide for the protection of proprietary information and intellectual property rights. The Secretary shall use to carry out this section not more than $2,000,000,000 for each fiscal year from the Climate Fund.