108 STAT. 786 PUBLIC LAW 103-272—JULY 5, 1994 cally disadvantaged individuals in urban and rural areas of the United States; (8) financial assistance by the Government to develop efficient and coordinated mass transportation systems is essential to solve the urban transportation problems referred to in clause (2) of this subsection; and (9) immediate substantial assistance by the Government is needed to enable mass transportation systems to continue providing vital transportation service. (c) RAPID URBANIZATION AND CONTINUING POPULATION DISPER- SAL.—Rapid urbanization and continuing dispersal of the population and activities in urban areas have made the ability of all citizens to move quickly and at a reasonable cost an urgent problem of the Government. (d) ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABIL- ITIES.—It is the policy of the Government that elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities have the same right as other individuals to use mass transportation service and facilities. Special efforts shall be made in planning and designing mass transportation service and facilities to ensure that mass transportation can be used by elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. All programs of the Government assisting mass transportation shall carry out this policy. (e) PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT.— It is the policy of the Government that special effort shall be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside, public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and important historical and cultural assets when planning, designing, and carrying out an urban mass transportation capital project with assistance from the Government under sections 5309 and 5310 of this title. (1) GENERAL PURPOSES. —The purposes of this chapter are— (1) to assist in developing improved mass transportation equipment, facilities, techniques, and methods with the cooperation of public and private mass transportation companies; (2) to encourage the planning and establishment of areawide urban mass transportation systems needed for economical and desirable urban development with the cooperation of public and private mass transportation companies; (3) to assist States and local governments and their authorities in financing areawide urban mass transportation systems that are to be operated by public or private mass transportation companies as decided by local needs; (4) to provide financial assistance to State and local governments and their authorities to help carry out national goals related to mobility for elderly individuals, individuals with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged individuals; and (5) to establish a partnership that allows a community, with financial assistance from the Government, to satisfy its urban mass transportation requirements. § 5302. DeHnitions (a) GENERAL.— In this chapter— (1) "capital project" means a project for— (A) acquiring, constructing, supervising, or inspecting ii equipment or a facility for use in mass transportation, expenses incidental to the acquisition or construction (including designing, engineering, location surveying, map-
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