Federal Transit Administration May 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is publishing the list of Fiscal Years 2015-2016 Passenger Ferry Project Selections which was inadvertently omitted from the allocation notice published on May 23, 2016, titled ``Fiscal Year 2015 and 2016 Passenger Ferry Grant Program Project Selections'' (81 FR 32383).

The FHWA and FTA are jointly issuing this final rule to update the regulations governing the development of metropolitan transportation plans (MTP) and programs for urbanized areas, long-range statewide transportation plans and programs, and the congestion management process as well as revisions related to the use of and reliance on planning products developed during the planning process for project development and the environmental review process. The changes reflect the passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The MAP-21 continues many provisions related to transportation planning from prior laws; however, it introduces transformational changes and adds some new provisions. The FAST Act makes minor edits to existing provisions. The changes make the regulations consistent with current statutory requirements and implement the following: A new mandate for State departments of transportation (hereafter referred to simply as ``States'') and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) to take a performance-based approach to planning and programming; a new emphasis on the nonmetropolitan transportation planning process, by requiring States to have a higher level of involvement with nonmetropolitan local officials and providing a process for the creation of regional transportation planning organizations (RTPO); a structural change to the membership of the larger MPOs; a new framework for voluntary scenario planning; new authority for the integration of the planning and environmental review processes; and a process for programmatic mitigation plans.

FTA is inviting the public to evaluate and provide comments on its Compendium of transit safety standards and protocols. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of public transportation safety standards and protocols to document existing standards and protocols and examine their efficacy. Following the review, the Secretary also is required to engage with the public in an evaluation of the standards to assess the need to establish additional Federal minimum public transportation safety standards. Upon completion of the review and evaluation, the Secretary must issue a report presenting the findings of the review of standards; the outcome of the evaluation; a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve the safety of the public transportation industry, including recommendations for regulatory changes, if applicable; and actions that the Secretary of the Department of Transportation will take to address the recommendations provided.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received a formal request from the Pace Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority (Pace) for a Buy America non-availability waiver to purchase 188 Dodge Caravan minivans for its vanpool program. Minivans are considered rolling stock and are subject to the Buy America waiver set forth in 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(C), which requires that minivans (i) contain more than 60 percent domestic content, and (ii) final assembly of the vehicles occurs in the United States. Although initially Pace sought only a waiver of the requirement that final assembly take place in the United States, Pace now seeks a waiver of both requirements. Because FTA is aware of at least four manufacturers that can meet the final assembly requirement, however, FTA is proposing a waiver of only the domestic content requirement for non-ADA-accessible minivans. This waiver would apply to all procurements of non-ADA-accessible minivans by any FTA grantee and would be limited to contracts entered into before September 30, 2019 or until a fully compliant domestic source becomes available, whichever is earlier. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A), FTA is providing notice of this proposed waiver and seeks public and industry comment on whether FTA should grant the waiver.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew the following information collection:

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $8 Million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 and FY 2016 research funds, for a new program to demonstrate and evaluate innovative approaches to integrated ``Mobility on Demand'' (MOD) solutions within a public transportation framework. The MOD Sandbox Demonstration Program is intended to provide a platform where integrated MOD concepts and solutions are supported and demonstrated through local partnerships in a real-world setting. FTA will fund project teams to adopt innovative business models to deliver high quality, seamless and equitable mobility options for all travelers. The MOD Sandbox further emphasizes FTA's interest in transit and mobility innovation, and builds upon FTA's recent XPEDITE Innovation initiative, which sought industry input through an online dialogue on transit innovation, particularly technology trends that increase public transportation efficiency, effectiveness and enhance the quality of customer travel. This notice also includes: (1) Reference to a number of areas for demonstrations of particular interest to FTA (to be used to guide but not limit innovative proposal concepts), (2) criteria that the FTA will use to identify projects for funding, and (3) the process for applying for the funding. This announcement is available on the FTA Web site at: https:// www.fta.dot.gov. A synopsis of this funding opportunity will be posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at https://www.GRANTS.GOV. FTA will announce final selections on the FTA Web site and may also announce selections in the Federal Register.