Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on March 2, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 - (Sec. 1) Directs the Secretary of Transportation to reduce the amount apportioned for a surface transportation program, project, or activity for FY2011 by amounts apportioned or allocated under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 and the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010, Part II for the period October 1, 2010-March 4, 2011.

Title I: Federal-Aid Highways - (Sec. 101) Amends the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 to extend through FY2011 the authorization of appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the federal-aid highway, surface transportation research, and transportation planning programs under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Extends through FY2011 the authorization of appropriations, at increased amounts, for federal-aid highway program administrative expenses.

Title II: Extension of Highway Safety Programs - (Sec. 201) Amends SAFETEA-LU to extend through FY2011 the authorization of appropriations for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs, but only at authorized FY2009 levels, including: (1) highway safety research and development, (2) the occupant protection incentive grant program, (3) the safety belt performance grant program, (4) state traffic safety information system improvements, (5) the alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures incentive grant program, (6) the National Driver Register, (7) the high visibility enforcement program, (8) motorcyclist safety, (9) the child safety and child booster seat safety incentive grant program, and (10) NHTSA administrative expenses.

(Sec. 202) Extends through FY2011 the authorization of appropriations for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) programs, but only at authorized FY2009 levels, including: (1) motor carrier safety grants, (2) FMCSA administrative expenses, (3) commercial driver's license program improvement grants, (4) border enforcement grants, (5) performance and registration information system management grants, (6) commercial vehicle information systems and networks deployment grants, (7) safety data improvement grants, (8) a set-aside for high priority activities that improve commercial motor vehicle safety and compliance with commercial motor vehicle safety regulations, (9) a set-aside for new entrant motor carrier audit grants, (10) commercial driver's license information system modernization, (11) FMCSA and NHTSA outreach and education, (12) the commercial motor vehicle operators grant program, (13) the FMCSA's Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee, and (14) the working group for development of practices and procedures to enhance federal-state relations.

(Sec. 203) Extends through FY2011 the funding for hazardous materials (hazmat) research projects.

Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to extend through FY2011 the authorization of appropriations, and the current requirements for their distribution, for fish restoration and management projects.

Extends the set-aside for administrative expenses for carrying out such projects.

Title III: Public Transportation Programs - (Sec. 301) Extends through FY2011 the allocation of capital investment grant funds for federal transit programs, including the metropolitan planning program and the state planning and research program.

(Sec. 302) Extends the special rule authority of the Secretary to award urbanized area formula grants to finance the operating cost of equipment and facilities for use in public transportation in an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000.

(Sec. 303) Allocates through FY2011 certain amounts for formula and bus grants and capital investment grants, but only at authorized FY2009 levels, for: (1) certain new fixed guideway capital projects of under $75 million; (2) new fixed guideway ferry systems and extension projects in Alaska and Hawaii; (3) payments to the Denali Commission for docks, waterfront development projects, and related transportation infrastructure; (4) ferry boats or ferry terminal facilities; (5) a set-aside for the national fuel cell bus technology development program; (6) projects in nonurbanized areas; (7) intermodal terminal projects; and (8) bus testing.

(Sec. 304) Extends through FY2011 the apportionments of: (1) nonurbanized area formula grants for public transportation on Indian reservations, and (2) capital investment grant funds for certain fixed guideway modernization projects.

(Sec. 306) Extends through FY2011 the authorization appropriations from the HTF Mass Transit Account, but only at authorized FY2009 levels, for: (1) formula and bus grant projects, including allocations for specified projects; (2) capital investment grants; (3) transit research, including allocations for transit cooperative research programs, the National Transit Institute, the university centers program, transportation projects to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the National Technical Assistance Center for senior transportation, and national research programs; and (4) administrative expenses.

(Sec. 307) Extends through FY2011 certain SAFETEA-LU programs, but only at authorized FY2009 levels, including: (1) the contracted paratransit pilot program, (2) the public-private partnership pilot program, (3) project authorizations for final design and construction and preliminary engineering of specified fixed guideway projects, and (4) the elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities pilot program.

Extends through FY2011 certain allocations for national research and technology programs.

(Sec. 308) Extends obligation authority of the Highway Category and the Mass Transit Category through FY2011, but limited to the FY2009 amount.

Title IV: Extension of Expenditure Authority - (Sec. 401) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY2011 authorities for expenditures from: (1) the HTF Highway and Mass Transit accounts, and (2) the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov