What is TEA-21?
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) authorizes over $200 billion to improve the Nation’s transportation infrastructure, enhance economic growth and protect the environment. TEA-21 creates new opportunities to improve air and water quality, restore wetlands and natural habitat, and rejuvenate urban areas through transportation redevelopment, increased transit and sustainable alternatives to urban sprawl. Several provisions of TEA-21 create new opportunities for water quality improvements. The following describes how these TEA-21 provisions work and their potential to fund water quality enhancements. HOW DOES TEA-21 FUNDING WORK? Transportation project planning and funding processes are locally and State-driven. As part of its long-term transportation plan, each State and metropolitan area develops transportation improvement programs (TIPs), which prioritize projects and funding. Only projects in an approved TIP are eligible for Federal funding. Through additions
