Oct. 4, 2002 – Legislation that would bring the territory $1 million a year in federal funding over the next several years to buy public transit buses won approval this week by the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation Appropriations Committee.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, was unsure how many years would be covered by the funding.
A Government House release said that Congress appropriated $500,000 last year to help the territory modernize its VITRAN fleet of buses. Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood said that amount with the first $1 million, should it be approved, would allow the territory to buy six buses.
Efforts to find out what islands would get the buses were unsuccessful.
The measure still needs full House as well as Senate approval before going to President Bush for his consideration.
Modeste said the transportation bill also would designate Henry E. Rohlsen Airport as a "priority" airport. Such a designation, he said, would be "telling the Federal Aviation Administration to give it priority when it comes to funding."
According to the release, the Turnbull administration asked for $3.5 million in this year's FAA appropriation to cover the cost of completing federally required modifications to the new Rohlsen terminal.
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