[Federal Register: August 22, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 162)]
[Notices]
[Page 47123-47125]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22au07-184]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Announcement of Project Selections for FY 2007 Discretionary
Programs
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announces the discretionary selection of projects
to be funded under Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 appropriations for the Bus and
Bus Facilities Program and Alternatives Analysis program, in response
to Notices of Funding Availability published March 23, 2007, and
additional FY 2007 New Starts allocations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The appropriate FTA Regional
Administrator for grant-specific issues; or Mary Martha Churchman or
Maria Wright, Office of Program Management, 202-366-2053, for general
information about the Bus and Bus Facilities Program; Steve Lewis-
Workman, 202-366-1868, for general information about the Alternatives
Analysis Program; or Sean Libberton, 202-366-5112, for general
information about the New Starts program.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A total of $438 million was made available
for discretionary allocation by FTA under the Bus and Bus Facilities
program in FY 2007 (including $25 million in unallocated funds from FY
2006). FTA published two notices of funding availability on March 23,
2007, inviting applications for funding. One notice solicited proposals
from the 36 most congested cities in the nation, to support transit
projects under Urban Partnership Agreements to be negotiated by the
Department of Transportation (DOT). To be selected as an Urban Partner,
a city had to propose a comprehensive plan to address congestion,
including four ``T's'': Tolling (congestion pricing), Transit,
Technology, and Telecommuting. The second notice invited proposals
addressing a number of FTA priorities for the Bus and Bus Facilities
program, including replacement of over-aged buses, fleet expansion to
improve service, and bus related facilities. In response to the two
notices, FTA received proposals totaling over $4 billion.
FTA carefully reviewed all proposals submitted, and rated them
based on criteria specified in the notices of funding availability. DOT
recently announced the selection of five cities as Urban Partners, and
committed to providing $433 million in discretionary bus program funds
to support the transit elements of those Urban Partnership Agreements,
and one additional promising project proposed by another Urban Partner
candidate. In addition, this announcement includes $5 million for
Minneapolis to meet transit needs as provided in Public Law 110-56. See
Table 1 for the allocations. FTA believes that the strategic investment
of the bus resources in these projects will demonstrate the important
role of transit in addressing congestion and ultimately lead to more
support for transit in all areas.
FTA appreciates the time and effort our grantees spent in preparing
the many thoughtful proposals we received and regrets that the funding
available was not sufficient to fund any of the other meritorious
projects submitted for consideration. FTA recognizes that there is an
on-going need for critical investment in fleet replacement and
facilities, and encourages grantees to consider use of flexible funds
available for either transit or highway use, among other resources.
FTA also solicited applications for Alternatives Analysis projects
in a notice published March 23, 2007, with $12 million available for
discretionary allocation. FTA received 36 proposals seeking $26 million
and has selected 26 projects for funding. Two of these projects are
associated with Urban Partnership Agreements. See Table 2 in this
notice for the allocations.
Finally, in the FY 2007 Notice of FTA FY 2007 Apportionments and
Allocations and Program Information, also published March 23, 2007, FTA
allocated FY 2007 discretionary New Starts funds to projects with
existing Full Funding Grant Agreements and other projects included in
the President's Budget Request for FY 2007. Since that time, FTA has
allocated an additional $118.8 million in available FY 2007 New Starts
funds to additional New Start and Small Start projects, including one
project in the Public-Private Partnership Pilot Program. Funds have
also been provisionally allocated to one Urban Partner. These
allocations are included in this Notice for your information. See Table
3.
Tables of projects selected under all three programs follow.
Grantees selected for competitive discretionary funding should work
with their FTA regional office to finalize the application in FTA's
electronic award and management system, TEAM, so that funds can be
obligated expeditiously. Funds must be used for the purposes specified
in the competitive application. No funding allocated for Urban
Partnership Agreements may be drawn down by the Urban Partner except in
accordance with terms and conditions set forth in a grant agreement
contemplated by the ``term sheet'' executed by Department and the Urban
Partner. A discretionary project identification number has been
assigned to each project for tracking purposes. Pre-award costs may be
incurred as of the date of this notice, unless otherwise restricted by
the terms of an Urban Partnership Agreement.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 17th day of August 2007.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
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