[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70583-70586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20540]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability: Alternative Transportation in
Parks and Public Lands Program.
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SUMMARY: This notice solicits proposals to compete for Fiscal Year (FY)
2007 funds through the Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public
Lands (ATPPL) program, administered by the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) in partnership with the Department of the Interior
(DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. The
purpose of the program is to enhance the protection of national parks
and Federal lands, and increase the enjoyment of those visiting them.
The program funds capital and planning expenses for alternative
transportation systems such as buses and trams in federally-managed
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 to apply. DOI, after consultation with
and in cooperation with FTA, will determine the final selection and
funding of projects.
DATES: Complete proposals must be received by the designated Federal
land management agency contact listed in this notice by the close of
business on February 16, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Project proposals must be submitted to the designated
contact person at the headquarters office of the Federal land
management agency that manages the park or public land involved. If the
project involves more than one Federal land management agency, a
project proposal template must be submitted to all agencies involved.
The required project proposal template is available at http://www.fta.dot.gov/atppl. E-mail submission is preferred. Mail and fax
submission will also be accepted.
National Park Service: Mark H Hartsoe, [email protected]; tel: 202-513-7025, fax: 202-371-6675, mail: 1849 C
Street, NW., (MS2420); Washington, DC 20240-0001.
Fish and Wildlife Service: Nathan Caldwell, [email protected], tel: 703-358-2205, fax: 703-358-2517, mail: 4401 N.
Fairfax Drive, Room 634; Arlington, VA 22203.
Forest Service: Ellen LaFayette, [email protected],
tel: 703-605-4509, fax: 703-605-1542, mail: 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1101. FedEx: USDA Forest Service, Engineering
Suite RPC 500, 1601 N. Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209.
Bureau of Land Management: Linda Force, [email protected], tel: 202-557-3567, fax: 202-452-5046, mail: 1849 C
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Faulk, Office of Program
Management, Federal Transit Administration, 202-366-1660, e-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. General Program Information
II. Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Proposals
III. Proposal Review, Selection, and Notification
IV. Additional Program Information
I. General Program Information
A. Authority
Section 3021 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users of 2005 (SAFETEA-LU)
established a new program called the ATPPL program (49 U.S.C. 5320).
SAFETEA-LU authorized $97 million in funding for the program for FY
2006 through 2009. SAFETEA-LU authorized $23 million FY 2007.
Availability of funding is subject to congressional appropriations,
which have not yet been finalized for FY 2007. No one project may
receive more than 25 percent of available funds.
B. Background
Congestion in and around parks and public lands causes traffic
delays and noise and air pollution that substantially detract from the
visitor's experience and the protection of natural resources. In August
2001, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and DOI published a
comprehensive study of alternative transportation needs in national
parks and related Federal lands. The study identified significant
alternative transportation needs at sites managed by the National Park
Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Additionally, a supplement to this report identified Forest
Service sites that would benefit from such services.
Section 3021 of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5320) addresses these needs
by establishing a new program to fund alternative transportation
projects in national parks and other federal lands. The goals of the
program are to:
Conserve natural, historical, and cultural resources;
Reduce congestion and pollution;
Improve visitor mobility and accessibility;
Enhance visitor experience; and
Ensure access to all, including persons with disabilities.
C. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are:
(1) Federal land management agencies, including the National Park
Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management,
the Forest Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation; and
(2) State, tribal and local governments with jurisdiction over land
in the vicinity of an eligible area, acting with the consent of a
Federal land management agency, alone or in partnership with a Federal
land management agency or other governmental or non-governmental
participant. If the applicant is a State, tribal, or local government,
a letter from the unit(s) of the Federal land management agency or
agencies affected expressing support for the project should be
submitted with the project proposal.
D. Eligible Expenses
SAFETEA-LU defines alternative transportation as ``transportation
by bus, rail, or any other publicly or privately owned conveyance that
provides to the public general or special service on a regular basis,
including sightseeing service. Such term also includes a non-motorized
transportation system (including the provision of facilities for
pedestrians, bicycles, and non-motorized watercraft).''
A qualified project is a planning or capital project in or in the
vicinity of a Federally-owned or managed park, refuge, or recreational
area that is open to the general public and meets the goals of the
program. Operating expenses are not eligible under the program. A
project proposal may
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include up to 15 percent of project expenses for project
administration, contingency, and oversight. As specified in 49 U.S.C.
5320(b)(5), the following types of projects are eligible:
Planning
1. Activities to comply with metropolitan and statewide planning
provisions. (49 U.S.C. 5320(b)(5)(A) referencing 49 U.S.C. 5303, 5304,
5305).
2. Activities include planning studies for an alternative
transportation system including evaluation of no-build and all other
reasonable alternatives, traffic studies, visitor utilization studies,
transportation analysis, feasibility studies, and environmental
studies.
Capital
1. General Capital Expenses for Alternative Transportation System
Projects
a. Eligible capital projects include all aspects of ``acquiring,
constructing, supervising, or inspecting equipment or a facility for
use in public transportation, expenses incidental to the acquisition or
construction (including designing, engineering, location surveying,
mapping, and acquiring rights-of-way), payments for the capital
portions of rail trackage rights agreements, transit-related
intelligent transportation systems, relocation assistance, acquiring
replacement housing sites, and acquiring, constructing, relocating, and
rehabilitating replacement housing;''
b. Capital projects may include those projects operated by an
outside entity, such as a public transportation agency, state or local
government, private company engaged in public transportation, or
private non-profit organization; and,
c. Projects may also include the deployment/commercialization of
alternative transportation vehicles that introduce innovative
technologies or methods.
2. ``Fixed Guideway'' and Bus Projects
a. The SAFETEA-LU legislation includes language allowing
eligibility of ``fixed guideway'' projects. These are defined as those
transportation projects that run on a dedicated right of way, like a
light rail, trolley, bus rapid transit, or any type of ferry system.
For these types of projects, eligible projects can include:
i. Development of a new fixed guideway project;
ii. Rehabilitation or modernization of existing fixed guideway
systems; and,
iii. Expansion of existing systems.
b. For bus or shuttle projects, eligible projects can include:
i. Purchase of buses and related equipment;
ii. Replacement of buses and related equipment;
iii. Rehabilitation of buses and related equipment;
iv. Construction of bus-related facilities such as bus shelters;
and,
v. Purchase of rolling stock that incorporates clean fuel
technology or the replacement of buses of a type in use on August 10,
2005, with clean fuel vehicles.
3. The ATPPL program specifically includes these other eligible
capital projects:
a. The capital costs of coordinating Federal land management agency
public transportation systems with other public transportation systems.
b. Non-motorized transportation systems (including the provision of
facilities for pedestrians, bicycles and non-motorized watercraft).
c. Water-borne access systems within or in the vicinity of an
eligible area as appropriate and consistent with Section 5320.
d. Any other alternative transportation project that
i. Enhances the environment;
ii. Prevents or mitigates an adverse impact on a natural resource;
iii. Improves Federal land management agency resource management;
iv. Improves visitor mobility and accessibility and the visitor
experience;
v. Reduces congestion and pollution (including noise pollution and
visual pollution); or
vi. Conserves a natural, historical, or cultural resource
(excluding rehabilitation or restoration of a non-transportation
facility).
In order to be considered for funding, a project must consist of one or
more of the eligible activities listed above, meet the definition of
alternative transportation, and contribute to the goals of the program.
Lease vs. Purchase
The capital cost of leasing vehicles is an eligible expense under
the program. For vehicle acquisition projects, sponsors should compare
the cost-effectiveness of leasing versus purchasing vehicles. Leasing
may be particularly cost effective in circumstances in which transit
service is only needed during a peak visitation period that lasts only
a few months. In these cases, leasing a vehicle for a few months during
the year may be less expensive than purchasing a vehicle that is then
only used for a few months during the year. An ATPPL award can cover
the capital cost of leasing vehicles but not the cost of operations.
Project sponsors should also compare the cost effectiveness of
providing service versus contracting for service. The capital portion
of contracted service is an eligible capital expense under the program.
For example, if a public land contracts with a private bus company to
provide a shuttle service with privately owned buses, the portion of
the contract that covers the capital expense of the buses is an
eligible expense under the ATPPL program. Operating expenses are not
eligible under the program. Project sponsors will be asked to compare
the cost-effectiveness of their preferred option to other alternatives
in the financial sustainability portion of the proposal.
E. Proposal Evaluation Criteria and Other Considerations
It is anticipated that the demand for financial assistance through
the ATPPL program will significantly exceed the funds available, and
thus the selection process will be highly competitive. Project
proposals will be evaluated based on how well the proposed project
would meet the goals of the program identified in the legislation and
in section I B of this notice. The criteria below, which are consistent
with the considerations identified in section 5320(g)(2), aid
evaluators in determining how well projects would meet these goals. The
application template contains specific questions related to each of
these criteria to guide the applicant in justifying the project.
Proposed capital projects will be evaluated based on the following
criteria:
Demonstration of Need
[cir] Visitor mobility & experience current or anticipated problem
[cir] Environmental current or anticipated problem
Visitor Mobility & Experience Benefits of Project
[cir] Reduced traffic congestion
[cir] Enhanced visitor mobility, accessibility, and safety
[cir] Improved visitor education, recreation, and health benefits
Environmental Benefits of Project
[cir] Protection of sensitive natural, cultural, and historic
resources
[cir] Reduced pollution (air, noise, visual)
Financial Sustainability and Operational Efficiency
[cir] Effectiveness in meeting management goals
[cir] Realistic financial plan
[cir] Cost effectiveness
[cir] Partnering, funding from other sources, innovative financing
Proposed planning projects will be evaluated based on the following
criteria:
[[Page 70585]]
Demonstration of Need
[cir] Visitor mobility & experience current or anticipated problem
[cir] Environmental current or anticipated problem
Methodology for Assessing Visitor Mobility & Experience
Benefits of Project
[cir] Reduced traffic congestion
[cir] Enhanced visitor mobility, accessibility, and safety
[cir] Improved visitor education, recreation, and health benefits
Methodology for Assessing Environmental Benefits of
Project
[cir] Protection of sensitive natural, cultural, and historical
Resources
[cir] Reduced pollution (air, noise, visual)
Methodology for Assessing Operational Efficiency and
Financial Sustainability of Alternatives
[cir] Realistic financial plan
[cir] Cost effectiveness
[cir] Partnering, funding from other sources
The planning project involves partnerships and funding
from other sources.
A special note on non-motorized transportation systems: While non-
motorized systems, such as trails, are eligible under the program, not
all non-motorized systems will meet the goals of the program needed to
be considered for funding. Like motorized systems, in order to be
considered for funding, non-motorized systems must reduce or mitigate
the number of auto trips by providing an alternative to travel by
private auto. In addition, non-motorized systems must provide a high
degree of connectivity within a transportation system. Finally, they
should improve safety for motorized and non-motorized transportation
system users.
Additional consideration will be given to projects based upon
geographic diversity, balance between urban and rural projects, and
balance in size of projects.
The program of projects may also be balanced by type of project, as
categorized below, to best show accomplishments from the program.
New alternative transportation systems--to show new
systems made possible by this new program.
Expansion or enhancement of an existing alternative
transportation system--to demonstrate improvements and expansions
enabled by the program.
Rehabilitation or replacement of vehicles or facilities of
existing alternative transportation systems--to support and sustain
existing meritorious systems into the future.
Planning studies--to prepare for new systems that can be
funded in future years.
II. Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Proposals
Project proposal templates as well as guidance on completing them
are available at http://www.fta.dot.gov/atppl. There are separate
proposal templates for planning and capital (``implementation'')
projects. Project proposals must be submitted to the designated contact
person at the headquarters office of the Federal land management agency
that manages the park or public land involved. This list can be found
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. If the project involves more
than one Federal land management agency, a proposal template must be
submitted to all agencies involved. Project proposals must adhere to
the page limits listed on the proposal templates. Submission by e-mail
is preferred. Mail and fax submissions will also be accepted.
In addition, a synopsis of this announcement will also be posted in
the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at
http://www.grants.gov.
A ``webinar''-style workshop to provide information on the program
and guidance on applying will be held during the middle of December
2006. Check the Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/atppl for more
details. If you do not have adequate Internet access you may request
hard copies of the webinar presentations and information on how to
phone in to the webinar from Scott Faulk at 202-366-1660.
If applicants would like to apply for funds appropriated for future
fiscal years, applicants must reapply each year. An applicant may also
propose a project that would expend money in multiple years even though
the award is from one year's worth of appropriated ATPPL program funds.
The project, would however, need to be ready to begin and need to be
completed in a reasonable period of time, as evaluated on a case by
case basis. In sum, the period of performance of the award is separate
from the year of funds of the award.
III. Proposal Review, Selection and Notification
Proposals will first be reviewed and screened by the headquarters
office of the relevant Federal land management agency (or agencies if
the project involves more than one). Following this initial review,
proposals will be evaluated by an interagency team which includes
representatives from FTA, each of the Federal land management agencies,
and DOI. After evaluating the projects based on the criteria in the law
and further explained in part E of this notice, the team will provide a
recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the
Interior, after consultation with and in cooperation with the Secretary
of Transportation, shall determine the final selection and amount of
funding for each project.
Selected projects will be announced in Spring 2007. DOI will notify
each Federal land management agency of projects awarded for sites under
the agency's jurisdiction. FTA will publish the list of all selected
projects and funding levels in the Federal Register, as well as in its
annual report to Congress on the ATPPL program submitted as part of its
Annual Report on New Starts in early February 2008. Criteria and
application procedures may be reassessed for subsequent years.
IV. Additional Program Information
A. Funds Administration
Once proposals have been reviewed and projects have been selected,
FTA will award funds to the lead project sponsor to implement the
project. These funds will be administered according to federal
requirements as well as the appropriate policies, guidelines and rules
of the pertinent agencies.
For projects directly administered by a Federal land management
agency, these funds will be administered by interagency agreement
between the FTA and the respective agency. For programs administered by
a State, tribal, or local governmental authority, these funds will be
administered through a grant administered by FTA.
B. Program Requirements and Oversight
The requirements for recipients of funding through the program can
be found at http://www.fta.dot.gov/atppl under ``Requirements for
Recipients of Funding.'' This document also describes the oversight FTA
will provide for this program.
C. Performance Measures
Participants may be asked to compile data for use in measuring
program performance.
D. Technical Assistance, Planning, and Research
The ATPPL program allows DOT to spend not more than 10 percent of
program funds to carry out planning, research, and technical assistance
activities. FTA will oversee the funds allocated to technical
assistance to assist program participants in planning, implementing,
and evaluating alternative transportation projects. In
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addition, FTA will be responsible for the provision of planning
guidance and dissemination of research findings. First products include
a program manual to be issued in November and the webinar to be held on
November 29. A limited number of technical assistance visits are
available to assist potential project sponsors in the initial stages of
planning. Project sponsors or potential project sponsors may contact
the relevant Federal land management agency headquarters contact or the
FTA contact in the Addresses section to request technical assistance or
provide ideas of types of activities that would be particularly helpful
in furthering the goals of the program.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 29th day of November, 2006.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-20540 Filed 12-4-06; 8:45 am]
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