TIGGER Grants to Save Energy, Lower Greenhouse Emissions

Washington, April 16 — Lost amid the scramble by public transportation agencies to obligate and spend American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA; Pub. L. 111-5) funds for existing transportation programs in the timely manner dictated by the law is a brand-new grant created by the ARRA to fight greenhouse gas emissions and curb energy use. And although this new program was signed into law less than two months ago, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is wasting no time in establishing program rules and soliciting applications.

The Transit Investment for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program will disburse $100 million in discretionary awards to public transportation agencies to fund projects that will reduce the grantee’s transit-related greenhouse gas output, reduce the amount of energy its public transit system consumes, or both. Transit agencies may apply for funding on an individual basis, or they may form consortia and submit a consolidated proposal. The FTA will consider requests to fund a single project, or multiple projects.