Shaheen, Hassan, Pappas Welcome More than $7.7M for Public Transit in Seacoast Region
**Funding will go toward new Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) facility**
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) alongside Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed a $7,736,284 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to improve public transit in the Seacoast region. The grant was awarded to the Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) through the Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Shaheen helped negotiate, provided $1.97 billion for this program, as part of the law's historic investments in public transportation.
Shaheen and Hassan sent letters of support for this funding, and Senator Shaheen also pushed for additional funding to be included in Senate Democrats’ FY 23 government funding proposal.
The funding will be used by COAST to construct a new administration, operations and maintenance facility and will help sustain transit operations in the 13-community Greater Seacoast Region of New Hampshire and Maine. This project is expected to reduce operating costs for COAST, improve its quality of services, support regional economic growth and prepare for a future transition to an electric vehicle fleet.
“COAST has provided reliable public transportation throughout the Seacoast region for more than 40 years. Its current Dover facility is too small and outdated to achieve its full potential, which is why I helped secure this $7.7 million grant to construct a new facility. This improved facility will advance the quality and sustainability of public transit in the region, which will help drive local economic growth,” said Senator Shaheen. “As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to ensuring New Hampshire has the resources needed to update our aging transportation infrastructure and public transit systems to ensure Granite Staters can get to work and school, make it to medical appointments, get groceries and other essential everyday tasks.”
“Public transportation is essential for our people, businesses, and economy,” said Senator Hassan. “This grant will help COAST construct a facility that will help reduce their operating costs, improve safety for their workforce, and reduce their environmental footprint. This will help strengthen COAST’s operations throughout the Seacoast, and will ensure that Granite Staters can get where they need to go safely and efficiently.”
“Convenient and affordable public transportation is crucial, and we must continue to support our public transportation providers. These federal funds from the Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grant Program will help COAST grow and sustain the public transportation system that serves our Seacoast communities,” said Rep. Pappas. “I fought hard for these funds to come to the First District, and am pleased that this grant will help COAST achieve its mission of providing affordable and accessible public transportation. I remain committed to fighting for funds for programs like these to support Granite State families and help us invest in our future.”
As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen worked to include $89,126,000 for 95 New Hampshire projects in the FY23 Senate government funding proposal released earlier this month, including funding for this COAST project. The robust federal dollars, appropriated through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, invest in a range of Granite State priorities throughout the state, including water infrastructure, health care facility investments, educational training, resources to combat homelessness and food insecurity, support for substance use disorder programs and much more. Shaheen advocated for and successfully included $69 million for New Hampshire projects in the FY 2022 government funding legislation for New Hampshire projects throughout the state that President Biden signed into law in March.
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