With the FTA and its Buy American requirements.
A central issue in a federal investigation of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s compliance with “Buy America” regulations remained unresolved after meetings in Washington, Metro board Chairman Gilbert Garcia said on Thursday.
Plans by Metro and its Spanish rail car vendor to assemble two prototype vehicles in Spain are “under discussion now,” Garcia said as he prepared to board a plane to Houston after two days of meetings with Federal Transit Administration officials and members of Congress.
The FTA won’t provide an expected $900 million grant for two Metro rail lines unless the agency complies with rules intended to create American jobs and boost the nation’s manufacturing industry.
[…]
Garcia said his meetings with FTA officials were “very successful,” and that Metro would do whatever was required to meet the Buy America requirements — including, if necessary, making arrangements to assemble the two pilot vehicles in the United States.
“I’m looking at all our options now,” Garcia said.
I sure hope he’s got it covered, because not getting the federal grants would be a pretty massive failure. I don’t know what else there is to say about it.
http://www.tubularrail.com the guy that holds this patent is in Houston of all places too!