Battery and Regenerative Braking Act

The Battery and Regenerative Braking Act would amend the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program to broaden who can participate. Specifically, it adds commuter rail passenger transportation entities (as defined in existing law) to the list of eligible recipients for projects that develop and implement regenerative braking and energy storage technologies. In other words, commuter rail operators would be explicitly eligible to pursue CRISI-funded projects aimed at capturing and using energy more efficiently through regenerative braking and related energy storage solutions. The bill does not create new funding or mandates; it simply expands eligibility under the existing CRISI framework. Potential impact includes increased opportunities for commuter rail agencies to adopt energy-saving tech, which could lower energy costs, improve reliability, reduce emissions, and modernize aging rail systems. Actual funding and project approvals would still depend on the existing CRISI grant process and appropriations.