[Federal Register: September 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 188)]
[Notices]
[Page 55629-55630]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28se07-161]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[Docket No. FTA-2007-29122]
Notice of Proposed Guidance and Request for Comment on the
Federal Transit Administration's Grant Management Requirements (FTA
Circular 5010.1D)
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed guidance and request for
comment.
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SUMMARY: 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.
DATES: Comments must be received by November 27, 2007. Late-filed
comments will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: To ensure your comments are not entered more than once into
the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number [FTA-2007-
29122] by only one of the following methods:
1. Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site.
[NOTE: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments. All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site
at http://www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.]
2. Fax: 202-493-2251.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Ave., SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for detailed instructions on
how to submit comments and access docket information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program questions, please contact
Jamie Pfister at 404-865-5632 or jamie.pfister@dot.gov. For legal
questions, please contact Jayme L. Blakesley at 202-366-0304 or
jayme.blakesley@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comment Instructions and Docket Access Information;
Instructions: You must include the agency name (Federal Transit
Administration) and Docket number (FTA-2007-29122) for this notice at
the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of your comments if
you submit them by mail. Due to security procedures in effect since
October 2001 regarding mail deliveries, mail received through the U.S.
Postal Service may be subject to delays. Parties making submissions
responsive to this notice should consider using an express mail firm to
ensure the prompt filing of any submissions not filed electronically or
by hand. For confirmation that FTA has received your comments, include
a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments received,
including any personal information, will be available to Internet users
and will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov. You may
review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register (65
FR 19477, April 11, 2000).
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Table of Contents
I. Overview
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of Assets, and Management of
Real Property Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
B. Useful Life of Assets
C. Management of Real Property
I. Overview
This notice announces the availability of FTA's Proposed Grants
Management Circular (5010.1D) and requests your comment as described
below. The text of Proposed Circular 5010.D is available in its
entirety on the electronic docket site at http://www.regulations.gov docket
number FTA-2007-29122.
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 distinguish between grant administration
and project management; expand the circumstances under which a grantee
may request budget revisions and grant amendments; identify useful life
standards for facilities and rolling stock, including trolleys and
other assets; and 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 for consistency with FTA law, regulation, and guidance; and
clarifies FTA's requirements and processes, specifically those related
to reporting, acquiring real property, and disposing assets.
FTA seeks comment on the entire Proposed Circular 5010.1D. Comments
received will be considered by FTA when it develops its Final Circular
5010.1D. FTA will respond to comments received in response to this
notice in a second Federal Register notice to be published after the
close of the comment period. The second notice will reflect the changes
implemented as a result of the comments received in response to this
Federal Register notice and will announce the availability of the Final
Circular 5010.1D.
In particular, FTA seeks comments on Proposed Circular 5010.1D's
treatment of grant modifications, useful life of assets, and management
of real property.
II. Grant Modifications, Useful Life of Assets, and Management of Real
Property Analysis
A. Grant Modifications
With respect to grant modifications, including budget revisions and
grant amendments, FTA proposes to expand the circumstances under which
a grantee may request a budget revision instead of a grant amendment.
These expanded circumstances will require FTA concurrence before a
grantee may incur costs pursuant to the proposed change. By requiring
prior approval, FTA can confirm that budget revisions are consistent
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
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Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP), and other legal and
programmatic requirements. FTA proposes to include in its review of
grant modifications a determination of whether the proposed change will
require a certificate from the Department of Labor (DOL) on Employee
Protective Arrangements. Also, FTA proposes changes to its use of the
term ``scope'' as it relates to grant modifications, and to place
greater emphasis on the Transportation Electronic Award and Management
(TEAM) system scope code as an indicator of the project scope.
B. Useful Life of Assets
FTA Circular 5010.1C only includes useful life standards for
rolling stock, specifically buses, vans, and rail vehicles. FTA uses
these useful life standards to determine when the Federal interest in
an asset expires, particularly when giving disposition instructions to
a grantee pursuant to the requirements of the Common Grant Rule at 49
CFR 18.31. FTA Circular 5010.1D proposes to include useful life
standards in subsequent grant agreements, and proposes useful life
standards for trolleys, ferry boats, and facilities. FTA seeks comment
on how to develop useful life standards for grant management purposes.
In particular, FTA lacks information regarding the useful life of ferry
boats and seeks comments on how to devise this standard.
FTA considered using its Standard Cost Category worksheet for
Annualized Costs, which is used primarily for New Starts projects, to
identify useful life standards for various project components,
including facilities. Recognizing, however, that FTA's New Starts
Program assesses the useful life of assets for purposes different from
Proposed Circular 5010.1D (the New Starts Cost Category worksheet looks
to the maximum useful life while Proposed Circular 5010.1D looks to the
minimum), FTA proposes to adopt different useful life standards for
facilities than those outlined in the New Starts Standard Cost Category
worksheet. Rather, FTA proposes the language located at Chapter IV,
Section 3 of Proposed Circular 5010.1D.
C. Management of Real Property
With respect to the management of real property, FTA proposes to
raise the threshold for an appraisal concurrence from $250,000 to
$500,000. Moreover, FTA proposes to update its acquisition, appraisal,
and relocation requirements to conform to regulatory changes at 49 CFR
part 24.
Issued this 24th day of September, 2007.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-19115 Filed 9-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P