Federal Transit Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the selection of projects to be funded under Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 appropriations for the Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (ATPPL) program, authorized by Section 3021 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity ActA Legacy for Users of 2005 (SAFETEA-LU) and codified in 49 U.S.C. 5320. The ATPPL program funds capital and planning expenses for alternative transportation systems in parks and public lands. Federal land management agencies and State, tribal and local governments acting with the consent of a Federal land management agency are eligible recipients.

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 approve a new collection: 49 U.S.C. Section 5317, New Freedom Program.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Crenshaw- Prairie Transit Corridor Project. The proposed project would provide for transit improvements within the Crenshaw-Prairie Corridor, which extends approximately 10 miles from Wilshire Boulevard on the north to El Segundo Boulevard on the south. The study area for the project includes portions of five jurisdictions: the Cities of Los Angeles, Inglewood, Hawthorne, El Segundo, as well as portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County, California. The study area is generally defined as the area extending north to Wilshire Boulevard, east to Arlington Avenue, south to El Segundo Boulevard, and west to Sepulveda and La Tijera Boulevards. A variety of land uses exist within the study area including single- and multi-family residences and commercial uses north of the Interstate 10 (I-10) freeway and south of Slauson Avenue, commercial uses along Crenshaw Boulevard and in Hawthorne, industrial and public land uses in Inglewood and El Segundo, as well as redevelopment areas in Los Angeles, Inglewood, and Hawthorne. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations. The Draft EIS will be combined with the planning Alternatives Analysis required by 49 U.S.C. 5309 for New Starts-funded projects. LACMTA will also use the EIS document to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which requires an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The purpose of this notice is to alert interested parties regarding the intent to prepare the EIS, to provide information on the nature of the proposed project and possible alternatives, to invite public participation in the EIS process (including providing comments on the scope of the Alternatives Analysis/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (AA/DEIS), to announce that public scoping meetings will be conducted, and to identify participating and cooperating agency contacts.

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 approve the revision of the currently approved information collection: 49 CFR Part 611 Major Capital Investment Projects.

This notice proposes guidance in the form of a revised circular on the Federal Transit Administration's Grant Management Requirements and seeks comment thereon. Proposed Circular 5010.1D modifies FTA's existing Grants Management Circular 5010.1C in several material respects. Among other things, Circular 5010.1D proposes to expand the circumstances under which a grantee may request budget revisions and grant amendments, to identify useful life standards for trolleys, ferry boats, and facilities, and to increase the threshold triggering FTA review and approval for appraisals of real property. In addition to the foregoing substantive changes, proposed Circular 5010.1D updates FTA's guidance to reflect current policy and new FTA programs; restructures the circular; and clarifies FTA's requirements and processes.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has placed in the docket and on its Web site, proposed guidance in the form of a circular to assist grantees in implementing the Capital Investment Program. The Capital Investment Program includes projects such as bus and bus facilities, new fixed guideway systems, and fixed guideway modernization, as authorized by 49 U.S.C. 5309. By this notice, FTA invites public comment on the proposed circular for this program.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1505.6), and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Section 151710, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), in cooperation with the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Van Ness Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project, an approximately two-mile transit improvement along Van Ness Avenue through the City and County of San Francisco, California. The Project would create dedicated bus lanes from approximately South Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street (south end) to Van Ness Avenue and Lombard Street (north end). The project would also establish high capacity stations with passenger amenities and low-level boarding platforms; real time bus arrival information systems; proof- of-payment fare verification; transit signal priority; and modern, high-capacity, low-floor, multi-door buses. The EIS/EIR will evaluate the following alternatives: (1) No- Project/Baseline Alternative; (2) Van Ness Avenue BRT Project, which will include design options for the configuration of the BRT transitway and stations; and (3) any additional reasonable alternatives that emerge from the study process. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with FTA regulations (23 CFR 771 et seq.) implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as well as provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The EIR will be prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (California Code of Regulation, Title 14, Chapter 3). As part of the EIS/EIR process, an evaluation of potential transit improvement alternatives will be completed (``alternatives analysis'') in accordance with 23 CFR Part 450 and inform the development of project alternatives. Previous studies and documents relevant to this action include the recently completed Van Ness Avenue BRT Feasibility Study (December 2006); 2005 Prop K Strategic Plan (March 2005); 2004 San Francisco Countywide Transportation Plan (adopted July 20, 2004), and the New Transportation Expenditure Plan for San Francisco (Proposition K, approved November 4, 2003). These documents describe the planning and funding for transportation improvements in San Francisco, including BRT in major bus corridors. These documents can be downloaded at the Web site www.sfcta.org, or requested from the Authority. EIS/EIR preparation will be initiated through a formal NEPA scoping process, which solicits input on issues and potential project impacts to consider in the environmental studies. Scoping will be accomplished through meetings and correspondence with interested persons, organizations, the general public, and Federal, State, and local agencies. Letters describing the proposed action and soliciting comments have been sent to the appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, and to private organizations and individuals. Comments on issues and impacts to be considered in preparation of the EIS/EIR will be recorded in the project information database.

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires the Federal Transit Administration (FTA or the Agency) to make certain changes to the Buy America requirements. This Final Rule creates a new publication process for public interest waivers to provide an opportunity for public comment; clarifies Buy America requirements with respect to microprocessor waivers; issues new provisions to permit post-award waivers; clarifies the definition of ``end products'' with regards to components, subcomponents, and major systems, and provides a representative list of end products; clarifies the requirements for final assembly of rolling stock and provides representative examples of rolling stock components; expands FTA's list of communications, train control, and traction power equipment; and updates debarment and suspension provisions to bring them into conformity with statutory amendments made by SAFETEA-LU.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of funds in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 for the Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB) Accessibility Program, authorized by section 3038 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The OTRB Accessibility Program makes funds available to private operators of over-the-road buses to finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over- the-road bus accessibility regulation. The authorizing legislation calls for national solicitation of applications, with grantees to be selected on a competitive basis. Federal transit funds are available to intercity fixed-route providers and other OTRB providers at up to 90 percent of the project cost. In FY 2007, $5,700,000 was appropriated for intercity fixed-route service providers and $1,900,000 was appropriated for other OTRB service providers. In anticipation of additional appropriations for the program in FY 2008, FTA reserves the right to select projects for funding with FY 2008 funds from applications received in response to this notice. This announcement is available on the Internet on the FTA Web site at: https://www.fta.dot.gov. FTA will announce final selections on the Website and in the Federal Register. A synopsis of this announcement will be posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at https://www.grants.gov. Applications may be submitted to FTA in hard copy or electronically through the Grants.Gov APPLY function.

This notice provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) National Transit Database (NTD) Rural Reporting Manual (Rural Manual). Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5335, FTA requires recipients of grants under 49 U.S.C. 5311 (Other Than Urbanized Area Formula Grants) to provide an annual report to the Secretary of Transportation via the NTD reporting system according to a uniform system of accounts (USOA). 49 U.S.C. 5311 provides additional specifications for annual reporting from recipients of Section 5311 grants. The Rural Manual provides complete details as to FTA's implementation of these annual requirements through reporting to the Rural NTD Module. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5334, and in an ongoing effort to be responsive to the needs of NTD reporters, the Rural Manual is available in the DOT docket for public comment.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the following new information collection: Customer Service Surveys of FTA Grantees and Stakeholders. The information to be collected from the surveys covered in this request will provide FTA with a means to gather data directly from its customers. The surveys will be used to assess how FTA's services are perceived by customers and stakeholders, determine opportunities for improvement and establish goals to measure results. The surveys will be limited to data collections that solicit voluntary opinions and will not involve information that is required by regulations. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on June 8, 2007.

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 extend the following currently approved information collection: Charter Service Operations.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will sponsor training and assistance in Environmental Management Systems (EMS) for up to ten state and local transit agencies. EMS can play a valuable role in the establishment of sound business management practices that include concern for the environment. Adoption of environmental management systems has been shown to result in advantages in financing, insurance, marketing, regulatory compliance, and other areas of operations. FTA will sponsor assistance in the form of training workshops, on-site technical advice and consultation, including follow-up. Applications from transit agencies to participate in this training and assistance are solicited.

This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA's) New Starts program and a new proposed Small Starts program category. The new Small Starts program category is a discretionary grant program category for public transportation capital projects that run along a dedicated corridor or a fixed guideway, have a total project cost of less than $250 million, and are seeking less than $75 million in Small Starts program funding. This NPRM addresses comments on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Small Starts issued on January 30, 2006 and the draft Guidance on New Starts Policy and Procedures issued on January 19, 2006, and makes proposals for the New Starts and Small Starts programs which take into account these comments. FTA is concurrently issuing policy guidance for comment that describes the factors and measures used in its evaluation process, which are not described in the NPRM.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (METRO) intend to prepare an Alternatives Analysis (AA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on proposed high capacity transit improvements, including a potential light rail transit (LRT) and/or bus rapid transit (BRT) in the Central Mesa Corridor between the LRT Starter Line eastern terminus and Power Road (a distance of approximately 13 miles) in the City of Mesa in Maricopa County, Arizona. The proposed study area is bounded on the west by the LRT Starter Line eastern terminus at Main Street/Sycamore; University Boulevard to the north; Power Road to the east; and the Superstition Freeway (US 60) on the south. The AA/EIS will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations. The AA/EIS process will be initiated with a scoping process that provides opportunities for the public to comment on the scope of the project and proposed alternatives to be considered in the AA and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This input will be used to assist decisionmakers in determining a locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Central Mesa Corridor. Upon selection of an LPA, METRO will request permission from FTA to enter into preliminary engineering per requirements of New Starts regulations 49 CFR part 611. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will be issued after FTA approves entrance into preliminary engineering. The purpose of this notice is to alert interested parties regarding the intent to prepare the AA/EIS, to provide information on the nature of the proposed project and possible alternatives, to invite public participation in the AA/EIS process, including comments on the scope of the alternatives proposed in this notice, to announce that public scoping meetings will be conducted, and to identify participating agency contacts.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 35001 et seq.), this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the revision of the currently approved information collection: 49 U.S.C. 5335(a) and (b) National Transit Database NTD). FTA would like to add the collection of rural transit data under the NTD to this collection, as mandated by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted August 10, 2005.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew the following information collection: Pre-Award and Post-Delivery Review Requirements. The information to be collected for this program is necessary to certify that pre-award and post- delivery reviews will be conducted when using FTA funds to purchase revenue service vehicles. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on April 3, 2007.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew the following information collection:

This notice conveys the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Final Guidance on New Starts/Small Starts Policies and Procedures. This Policy Guidance complements FTA's previous Guidance on New Starts Policies and Procedures, dated May 22, 2006, by providing further updates and enhancements to the procedures for project planning and development necessary to receive New or Small Starts funding. This notice also announces the availability of FTA's Reporting Instructions for the Section 5309 New Starts Criteria, which must be followed when reporting New Starts information for evaluation during the FY 2009 project evaluation cycle, as well as for any requests to enter into preliminary engineering, final design, or a full funding grant agreement until further notice. Finally, this notice provides the schedule for reporting of information for FTA's FY 2009 New Starts budget evaluations.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for public transportation projects in the following metropolitan areas: Eugene, Oregon; Fort Myers, Florida; Houston, Texas; and New York, New York. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject projects and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has revised its Title VI Circular 4702.1 and is publishing a new Circular 4702.1A, ``Title VI and Title VIDependent Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients.'' The purpose of this circular is to provide recipients and subrecipients of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) financial assistance with guidance and instructions necessary to carry out the U.S. Department of Transportation's (``DOT'' or the ``Department'') Title VI regulations (49 CFR part 21) and to integrate into their programs and activities considerations expressed in the Department's Order on Environmental Justice (Order 5610.2), and Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients' Responsibilities to Limited English Proficient (``LEP'') Persons (70 FR 74087, December 14, 2005). Circular 4702.1A includes requirements and procedures which, if followed, will ensure that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from FTA.

This notice announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 funds for the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program, a program authorized by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). This notice also announces a national solicitation for Grant Applications for FY 2007 Tribal Transit Program (TTP) funds to be selected on a competitive basis; the grant terms and conditions that apply to this program; and grant application procedures and selection criteria for FY 2007 projects.

The Federal Transit Administration invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew the following information collection: Pre-Award and Post-Delivery Review Requirements. The information to be collected for this program is necessary to certify that pre-award and post-delivery reviews will be conducted when using FTA funds to purchase revenue service vehicles.

On June 9, 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) was enacted requiring the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to establish the Clean Fuels Formula Grant Program (the program). The program was developed to assist non-attainment and maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and carbon monoxide (CO). Additionally, the program supports emerging clean fuel and advanced propulsion technologies for transit buses and markets for those technologies. Although the program was authorized as a formula grant program from its inception, Congress did not fund the program. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) changed the grant program from a formula-based to a discretionary grant program. The program, however, retains its initial purpose. FTA is publishing this final rule to revise the existing regulations to reflect the amendments made by SAFETEA-LU.

This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) National Transit Database (NTD) Uniform System of Accounts and Reporting System. The proposed changes will require recipients of formula grants for other than urbanized areas (Nonurbanized Area Formula Grants) to report annual transit data to the NTD. As mandated by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), this proposed rule will also require the annual reporting of rural transit data as a condition for receiving grant awards under the Nonurbanized Area Formula Program. Currently, FTA requires recipients of FTA Urbanized Area Formula Grants to provide an annual report to the Secretary of Transportation via the NTD using a uniform system of accounts and reporting system. This proposed rule will not affect existing mandatory reporting requirements for recipients of Urbanized Area Formula grants. In addition, this proposed rule makes non-substantive changes, technical corrections, and conforming amendments to 49 CFR part 630, ``Uniform System of Accounts and Reporting System.'' Technical corrections and conforming amendments are needed to update the regulation and make certain provisions clearer. These changes will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.