---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 22901"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "22901"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/22901"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Rail Programs"
  - "Part B — Assistance"
  - "Chapter 229 — Rail Improvement Grants"
---

# §22901. Definitions


In this chapter:

- (1) **Applicant.—** The term “applicant” means a [State](/usc/49/26105.md?p=5) (including the District of Columbia), a group of [States](/usc/49/26105.md?p=5), an Interstate Compact, or a public agency established by one or more [States](/usc/49/26105.md?p=5) and having responsibility for providing [intercity passenger rail service](#3).
- (2) **Capital project.—** The term “capital project” means a project or program in a [State](/usc/49/26105.md?p=5) rail plan developed under [chapter 227](/usc/49/chstV/ptB/ch227.md) of this title for—
  - (A) acquiring, constructing, improving, or inspecting equipment, track and track structures, or a facility for use in or for the primary benefit of [intercity passenger rail service](#3), expenses incidental to the acquisition or construction (including designing, engineering, location surveying, mapping, environmental studies, and acquiring rights-of-way), payments for the capital portions of rail [trackage](/usc/49/28501.md?p=7) rights agreements, highway-rail grade crossing improvements related to [intercity passenger rail service](#3), mitigating environmental impacts, communication and signalization improvements, relocation assistance, acquiring replacement housing sites, and acquiring, constructing, relocating, and rehabilitating replacement housing;
  - (B) rehabilitating, remanufacturing or overhauling rail rolling stock and facilities used primarily in [intercity passenger rail service](#3);
  - (C) costs associated with developing [State](/usc/49/26105.md?p=5) rail plans; and
  - (D) the first-dollar liability costs for insurance related to the provision of [intercity passenger rail service](#3) under section 22904.
- (3) **Intercity passenger rail service.—** The term “intercity passenger rail service” means [intercity rail passenger transportation](/usc/49/24102.md?p=4), as defined in [section 24102 of this title](/usc/49/24102.md).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 110–432, div. B, title III, § 301(a), Oct. 16, 2008, 122 Stat. 4935, § 24401; renumbered § 22901 and amended Pub. L. 115–420, § 7(a)(1), (b)(2)(A), Jan. 3, 2019, 132 Stat. 5445, 5446.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 115–420, § 7(a)(1), renumbered section 24401 of this title as this section.

Par. (2)(D). Pub. L. 115–420, § 7(b)(2)(A), substituted “22904” for “24404”.