MORE DOT Grants Act

The MORE DOT Grants Act (S 1579) increases access to federal transportation grants for rural communities where over half the land is federally owned and the population is under 100,000. It directly affects "High-Density Public Land Counties" and their local governments or Tribal governments within those counties. Key provisions include reducing local matching funds by 50% for qualifying grant programs, requiring the Department of Transportation to provide extra technical assistance, and giving priority to these areas in grant approvals. The bill also allows flexibility in application requirements that disadvantage small communities, such as adjusting scoring criteria or simplifying complex processes.