RESEARCH GRANTS.

SEC. 5513. [23 U.S.C. 502 note] RESEARCH GRANTS. (a) Thermal Imaging.— (1) In general.—The Secretary shall make a grant to carry out a demonstration project that uses a thermal imaging inspection system (TIIS) that leverages state-of-the-art thermal imagery technology, integrated with signature recognition software, providing the capability to identify, in real time, faults and failures in tires, brakes and bearings mounted on commercial motor vehicles. (2) Use of funds.—Funds shall be used— (A) to employ a TIIS in a field environment, along the Interstate, to further assess the system's ability to identify faults in tires, brakes, and bearings mounted on commercial motor vehicles; (B) to establish, through statistical analysis, the probability of failure for each component; and (C) to develop and integrate a predictive tool into the TIIS, which identifies an impending tire, brake, or bearing failure and provides the use of a time frame in which this failure may occur. (3) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2006 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (b) Transportation Injury Research.— (1) Grant.—The Secretary shall make a grant to maintain a center for transportation injury research at the Calspan University of Buffalo Research Center, through the North Campus facility located in Amherst, New York, and affiliated with the State University of New York at Buffalo. (2) Recoup costs.—Notwithstanding current law, Federal regulations, or Office of Management and Budget circulars or guidance, the Center shall be permitted to recoup direct and indirect costs and apply a 7 percent fee to the grant made under this subsection. (3) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $1,250,000 in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (c) Technology Transfer Grant.— (1) Grant.—The Secretary shall make grants to the Argonne National Laboratory-Advanced Transportation Technology Center for the purpose of conducting transportation research and demonstration projects that would lead to the exchange of research results with the private sector and collaboration with universities at a centralized location conducive for technology transfer. (2) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $4,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (d) Appalachian Regional Commission.— (1) Grant.—The Secretary shall make a grant to the Appalachian Regional Commission to conduct a feasibility study for the creation of a system of inland ports and distribution centers in Appalachia. (2) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $500,000 in fiscal year 2006 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (e) Automobile Accident Injury Research.— (1) Grants.—The Secretary shall make a grant to the Forsyth Institute for research and technology development for preventing and minimizing head, craniofacial, and spinal cord injuries resulting from automobile accidents. (2) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $500,000 in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (f) Rural Transportation Research.— (1) Grants.—The Secretary shall make grants to the New England Transportation Institute in White River Junction, Vermont for rural transportation research. (2) Funding.— (A) In general.—Of the amounts made available by section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 shall be available to carry out this subsection and shall remain available until expended. (B) Cost-sharing.— (i) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out under this subsection shall be 80 percent. (ii) Non-federal share.—The fair market value of any materials or services provided by the non-Federal sponsor for activities under this subsection shall be credited to the non-Federal share. (g) Rural Transportation Research Initiative.— (1) Grants.—For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, the Secretary shall provide a grant to the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute at North Dakota State University for use in carrying out the Rural Transportation Research Initiative. (2) Funding.— (A) In general.—Of the amounts made available by section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection, and shall remain available until expended. (B) Cost-sharing.— (i) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of the activities carried out under this subsection shall be 80 percent. (ii) Non-federal share.—The fair market value of any materials or services provided by the non-Federal project sponsor for any activity under this subsection shall be credited to the non-Federal share. (h) Hydrogen-Powered Transportation Research Initiative.— (1) Grants.—For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, the Secretary shall provide a grant to the University of Montana for use in carrying out the Hydrogen-Powered Transportation Research Initiative. (2) Funding.— (A) In general.—Of the amounts made available by section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection, and shall remain available until expended. (B) Cost-sharing.— (i) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of the activities carried out under this subsection shall be 80 percent. (ii) Non-federal share.—The fair market value of any materials or services provided by the non-Federal project sponsor for an activity under this subsection shall be credited to the non-Federal share. (i) Cold Region and Rural Transportation Research, Maintenance, and Operations.— (1) Grants.—The Secretary shall provide grants to the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University, for use in developing a research facility in Lewistown, Montana, for basic and applied research and testing on surface transportation issues facing rural and cold regions. (2) Funding.— (A) In general.—Of the amounts made available by section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection, to remain available until expended. (B) Cost-sharing.— (i) Federal share.—The Federal share of the cost of the activities carried out under this subsection shall be 80 percent. (ii) Non-federal share.—The fair market value of any materials or services provided by the non-Federal project sponsor for an activity under this section shall be credited to the non-Federal share. (j) Advanced Vehicle Technology.— (1) Grant.—The Secretary shall make a grant to the University of Kansas Transportation Research Institute for research and development of advanced vehicle technology concepts, focused on vehicle emissions, fuel cells and catalytic processes, and intelligent transportation systems. (2) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $2,500,000 in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (k) Asphalt Research Consortium.— (1) Grant.—The Secretary shall make a grant to the asphalt research consortium lead by the Western Research Institute to research flexible pavement and extending the life-cycle of asphalts. (2) Funding.—Of the amounts made available under section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $7,500,000 in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 shall be available to carry out this subsection. (l) Renewable Transportation Systems Research.— (1) Grants.—The Secretary shall make grants to the University of Vermont for research, development and field testing of hydrogen fuel cell and biofuel transportation technology. (2) Funding.— (A) In general.—Of the amounts made available for section 5101(a)(1) of this Act, $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 to remain available until expended. (B) Cost-sharing.— (i) Federal share.—The Federal Share of the cost of activities carried out under this section shall be 80 percent. (ii) Non-federal share.—The fair market value of any materials or services provided by the non-Federal sponsor for activities under this section shall be credited to the non-Federal share. (m) Federal Share.—The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out in accordance with this section shall be 80 percent unless otherwise expressly provided by this section or otherwise determined by the Secretary.