WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that Illinois, Indiana and Michigan have agreed to move forward with a comprehensive study that will help determine ways to reduce rail congestion and let trains achieve higher speeds along the Chicago-to-Detroit high-speed rail corridor.

-- This announcement solicits proposals for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Upper Midwest Migratory Bird Conservation Program. In 2013, this program will provide grants for the conservation of birds that are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act but not federally listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the Illinois Department of Transportation can now start spending $126 million for Chicago's Englewood Flyover project that was awarded last year. The project, which will get under way later this summer, will eliminate one of the nation's largest rail bottlenecks. The Illinois Department of Transportation contributed $6.6 million to the $133 million project.

CHICAGO -- U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped break ground on the "Englewood Flyover" project, a critical component to the Chicago hub of the Midwest high-speed rail network. The construction project will build a bridge to separate traffic along two railroads, allowing 130 trains per day to move more quickly through one of the worst bottlenecks in North America. The investment will improve on-time performance of passenger trains, reduce freight congestion and create nearly 1,500 jobs.

President Obama made some announcements during his State of the Union Address to the nation that struck a chord with sustainability and environmental groups. Chief among them: 80 percent of America's electricity should come from clean energy by 2035; America should have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015; and 80 percent of Americans should have access to high-speed rail within 25 years.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced $2 billion in high-speed rail awards providing an unprecedented investment to speed up trains in the Northeast Corridor, expand service in the Midwest and provide new, state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars as part of the Administration's plan to transform travel in America.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $196.5 million grant to the Michigan Department of Transportation for track and signal improvements between Detroit and Kalamazoo, Mich. These improvements will allow for speeds up to 110 mph on 77 percent of Amtrak's Wolverine and Blue Water services between Detroit and Chicago, resulting in a 30 minute reduction in travel time between those destinations.

RADFORD, Va. -- Norfolk Southern's Heartland Corridor - one of the most extensive railroad engineering projects in modern times and a template for public-private partnerships that strengthen the nation's transportation infrastructure - officially opened for business on Thursday, Sept. 9.

The following competitive grants are available to municipal and/or non-profit applicants, among others: