Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Appalachian Regional Continuing Development Act of 2024 or the ARC Development Act of 2024.
Section 2. Mileage limitation exemption for certain Appalachian development highway system projects
Section 14501 of title 40, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (g) as subsections (f) through (j), respectively;
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (d);
(3) in subsection (a)—
(A) by striking There shall not and inserting (c) Local access road mileage.—There shall not; and
(B) by striking Construction on the development and inserting (b) Limitation on total mileage.—Except as provided in subsection (e), construction on the development;
(4) by inserting after subsection (d), as redesignated by this section, the following:
(1) Exemption from mileage limitation
The Appalachian Regional Commission may approve a waiver of the limitation in subsection (b) for a construction project under this section if the final alignment as determined through the National Environmental Policy Act documentation process of a route approved for assistance under this section exceeds such limitation.
(2) Treatment of project mileage
Any mileage in excess of the limitation in subsection (b) that is approved under paragraph (1) shall be added to the mileage limitation in such subsection and shall be considered eligible development highway system miles under this section.
(3) Application
To be eligible for a waiver under paragraph (1), a participating State shall submit to the Commission an application in such manner, and containing such information, as the Commission may require.