GATEWAY RURAL IMPROVEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.

SEC. 1946. GATEWAY RURAL IMPROVEMENT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In General.—The Secretary shall establish a pilot program in the State of Vermont to be known as the “Gateway Rural Improvement Pilot Program” (referred to in this section as the “program”) to demonstrate the benefits to a rural rail corridor of a freight transportation gateway program. (b) Eligible Activities.—Under the program— (1) funding preference shall be given to selecting a corridor in the State of Vermont that includes a border crossing; and (2) individual projects shall provide community and highway benefits by addressing economic, congestion, security, safety, and environmental issues. (c) Cost Sharing.— (1) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of a project under this section shall be determined in accordance with section 120 of title 23, United States Code. (2) Non-federal share.—Project user fees may be used to provide all or part of the non-Federal share of the cost of a project funded under this section. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.—In addition to such amounts as are otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the Department, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section. * * * * * * *