SPECIAL IMPACT AREAS.

SEC. 209. SPECIAL IMPACT AREAS. (a) In General.—Title II of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: “SEC. 214. SPECIAL IMPACT AREAS. “(a) In General.—On the application of an eligible recipient that is determined by the Secretary to be unable to comply with the requirements of section 302, the Secretary may waive, in whole or in part, the requirements of section 302 and designate the area represented by the recipient as a special impact area. “(b) Conditions.—The Secretary may make a designation under subsection (a) only after determining that—“(1) the project will fulfill a pressing need of the area; and “(2) the project will—“(A) be useful in alleviating or preventing conditions of excessive unemployment or underemployment; or 118 STAT. 1764“(B) assist in providing useful employment opportunities for the unemployed or underemployed residents in the area. “(c) Notification.—At the time of the designation under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a written notice of the designation, including a justification for the designation.” . (b) Conforming Amendment.—The table of contents contained in section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 213 the following: “Sec. 214. Special impact areas.”.