Modal Parity in Permitting Act

This bill amends federal transportation law to clarify and expand provisions for acquiring real property interests for transit and passenger rail projects. It broadens the types of property that recipients of mass transit assistance can acquire, moving beyond just "right-of-way" to encompass more general real property interests. The legislation also mandates that the Federal Transit Administration update its relevant guidance within six months to reflect these changes, ensuring consistent application of the new definitions.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new provision allowing recipients of financial assistance for passenger rail projects to acquire necessary real property interests, such as through purchase or lease, *before* the completion of environmental reviews. This aims to streamline project development by enabling earlier land acquisition. However, a critical safeguard ensures that no physical development or improvement of these acquired properties can occur until all required environmental reviews for the project have been fully completed, balancing efficiency with environmental protection.