WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that transit providers will be able to compete for a share of $101.4 million in federal funding by proposing innovative projects that create green jobs, promote the use of clean fuels and cut the nation's dependence on oil.

The money is being provided competitively through the Federal Transit Administration's Fiscal Year 2011 Sustainability Initiative, which includes funding from two programs: $51.5 million from FTA’s Clean Fuels Grant Program and $49.9 million from FTA’s Transit Investment in Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) III Program.

“With high gasoline prices hitting families hard, investments in transit are more important than ever,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “By giving Americans more transportation choices, we’re providing a win for their pocketbooks and for the environment. 

Clean Fuels grant recipients will be chosen through a competitive selection process based on their ability to help communities achieve or maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and carbon monoxide, while supporting emerging clean fuel and advanced propulsion technologies for transit buses.

TIGGER III grants, which will also use a competitive selection process, will be awarded based on a project’s ability to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and provide a return on the investment.

Last year's 63 winning projects involved an array of environmental innovations, such as installing energy-efficient technologies at transit facilities, replacing traditional diesel-powered buses with low- or zero-emission vehicles, and building compressed natural gas fueling stations.

In addition to announcing competitive funds available through the Sustainability Initiative, the FTA also issued similar notices for two additional competitive programs: the $750 million State of Good Repair Initiative, which targets U.S. transit agencies' maintenance and repair backlogs, and the $175 million Livability Expansion Initiative, which will fund investments that support the DOT-HUD-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities.