Earmarks Re-Allocated to Transportation Projects

More than $473 million of unused federal earmarks will be returned to 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to fund transportation and infrastructure projects. The amounts range from around $50,000 for Maine and the District of Columbia, to nearly $30 million to New York and more than $43 million to California.

The Obama administration announced August 17 that more than $473 million in unobligated earmark funds will be made available to the states for transportation infrastructure projects.

''We are freeing up these funds so states can get down to the business of moving transportation projects forward and putting our friends and neighbors back to work,''' Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

Those state transportation departments that have unspent earmarks, which were originally appropriated in fiscal years 2003-2006, can use their unused earmark funds on any eligible highway, transit, passenger rail, or port project they choose.

''Particularly in these difficult fiscal times, states will be able to put these dollars to good use,'' said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. ''These funds will create jobs in the short term and help bring about what President Obama called 'an America built to last.'''

States must identify their projects by Oct. 1 and obligate them by Dec. 31. Any funds not obligated by the end of the year will be redistributed in FY 2013 to states that did meet the deadline.

The available funding for each state, project details, and the official news release for the announcement is available at bit.ly/earmarkstate.