(a) Life-safety needs
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for making grants to Amtrak for the purpose of carrying out projects to make fire and life safety improvements to Amtrak tunnels on the Northeast Corridor the following amounts:
(1) For the 6 New York and New Jersey tunnels to provide ventilation, electrical, and fire safety technology improvements, emergency communication and lighting systems, and emergency access and egress for passengers—
(A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(B) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(C) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(D) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
(2) For the Baltimore Potomac Tunnel and the Union Tunnel, together, to provide adequate drainage and ventilation, communication, lighting, standpipe, and passenger egress improvements—
(A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(B) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(C) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(D) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
(3) For the Union Station tunnels in the District of Columbia to improve ventilation, communication, lighting, and passenger egress improvements—
(A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
(B) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(C) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; and
(D) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
(b) Infrastructure upgrades
Out of funds appropriated pursuant to section
1153 of this title, there shall be made available to the Secretary of Transportation for fiscal year 2008, $3,000,000 for the preliminary design of options for a new tunnel on a different alignment to augment the capacity of the existing Baltimore tunnels.
(c) Availability of amounts
Amounts appropriated pursuant to this section shall remain available until expended.
(d) Plans required
The Secretary of Transportation may not make amounts available to Amtrak for obligation or expenditure under subsection (a)—
(1) until Amtrak has submitted to the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Transportation has approved, an engineering and financial plan for such projects; and
(2) unless, for each project funded pursuant to this section, the Secretary of Transportation has approved a project management plan prepared by Amtrak.
(e) Review of plans
(1) In general
The Secretary of Transportation shall complete the review of a plan required under subsection (d) and approve or disapprove the plan within 45 days after the date on which each such plan is submitted by Amtrak.
(2) Incomplete or deficient plan
If the Secretary of Transportation determines that a plan is incomplete or deficient, the Secretary of Transportation shall notify Amtrak of the incomplete items or deficiencies and Amtrak shall, within 30 days after receiving the Secretary of Transportation's notification, submit a modified plan for the Secretary of Transportation's review.
(3) Approval of plan
Within 15 days after receiving additional information on items previously included in the plan, and within 45 days after receiving items newly included in a modified plan, the Secretary of Transportation shall either approve the modified plan, or if the Secretary of Transportation finds the plan is still incomplete or deficient, the Secretary of Transportation shall—
(A) identify in writing to the appropriate congressional committees the portions of the plan the Secretary finds incomplete or deficient;
(B) approve all other portions of the plan;
(C) obligate the funds associated with those portions; and
(D) execute an agreement with Amtrak within 15 days thereafter on a process for resolving the remaining portions of the plan.
(f) Financial contribution from other tunnel users
The Secretary of Transportation, taking into account the need for the timely completion of all portions of the tunnel projects described in subsection (a), shall—
(1) consider the extent to which railroad carriers other than Amtrak use or plan to use the tunnels;
(2) consider the feasibility of seeking a financial contribution from those other railroad carriers toward the costs of the projects; and
(3) obtain financial contributions or commitments from such other railroad carriers at levels reflecting the extent of their use or planned use of the tunnels, if feasible.