Federal Transit Administration May 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the allocation of $3.7 billion under the Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program (Emergency Relief Program, Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance 20.527) to the four FTA recipients most severely affected by Hurricane Sandy: the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New Jersey Transit Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the New York City Department of Transportation. This amount is in addition to the initial $2 billion allocation announced in the March 29, 2013 Federal Register notice, bringing the total amount of Hurricane Sandy Emergency Relief funds allocated to-date to $5.7 billion. Within the $3.7 billion announced in this notice, FTA is allocating $2.4 billion for additional recovery and rebuilding projects and $1.3 billion for project elements or freestanding projects that increase the resiliency of the affected transit systems to future disasters. Such resiliency investments shall be subject to specific conditions cited in this notice. FTA is allocating funds consistent with the requirements of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Pub. L. 113-2), Interim Final Rule for the Emergency Relief Program, 49 CFR part 602, published in the Federal Register on March 29, 2013, the Notice of Availability of Emergency Relief Funds published in the Federal Register on February 6, 2013, and additional requirements and program guidance included in the March 29, 2013 Federal Register notice. FTA anticipates allocating additional funding for recovery and rebuilding and announcing the availability of competitive funding for eligible resiliency projects in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy in a subsequent notice. Prior to submitting grant applications to FTA for the funds allocated in this notice, recipients should develop a list of potentially eligible projects, consistent with the Emergency Relief Program rule, at 49 CFR 602.17, and submit and review the list of projects with the applicable FTA Regional Office. Affected recipients are granted pre-award authority as of the publication date of this notice for recovery and rebuilding projects; pre-award authority for the $1.3 billion allocated for resiliency projects may be contingent upon FTA's prior approval as described later in this notice. Prior to exercising pre-award authority, recipients should work with the appropriate Regional Office to ensure that the applicable Federal requirements are followed. All funds allocated in this notice must comply with FTA and other Federal requirements as described in the Interim Final Rule. Recipients may request waivers of FTA administrative requirements by submitting a request to www.regulations.gov, FTA docket number FTA-2013-0001, as described in the Emergency Relief Program rule at 49 CFR Sec. 602.15, however, recipients should not proceed with a project under the expectation that waivers will be provided. Additional program requirements, considerations and grant application procedures specific to these funds are included in this notice.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) to approve the revisions of the following information collection: 49 U.S.C. 5317, New Freedom Program. The information to be collected will be used to accumulate mass transportation financial and operating information using a uniform system of accounts and records. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on March 6, 2013.

On October 16, 2012 the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published in the Federal Register a Notice of FTA Transit Program Changes, Authorized Funding Levels, Implementation of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Apportionments, Allocations and Interim Guidance. The initial Notice apportioned and allocated funding pursuant to the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (CR) that provided funds through March 27, 2013. This subsequent FY 2013 Apportionment Notice apportions the full FY 2013 funding available pursuant to the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (FY 2013 Appropriations) and sequestration of funds triggered by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 2011. This notice also provides and seeks comment on an illustrative apportionment for the State Safety Oversight (SSO) grant program and provides information on FTA's discretionary programs and forthcoming program guidance.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) published a notice in the Federal Register on April 22, 2013, concerning a limitation on claims for certain specified public transportation projects. The notice contained an incorrect description of one project.