[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 100 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29843-29846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11224]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
Availability of Fiscal Year 2008 Clean Fuels Grant Program
Funds: Solicitation of Project Proposals
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) announces the availability of funds in Fiscal Year
(FY) 2008 for the Discretionary Clean Fuels Grant Program, authorized
by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU). The Clean Fuels Grant Program
makes funds available to assist non-attainment or maintenance areas in
achieving or maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for
ozone or carbon monoxide (CO). Additionally, the program supports
emerging clean fuel and advanced propulsion technologies for transit
buses and markets for those technologies. The authorizing legislation
allows for the Secretary of Transportation to make awards under this
program at her discretion in non-attainment or maintenance areas for
ozone or CO.
In FY 2008, $49,000,000 was available for the discretionary Clean
Fuels Grant program; $20,247,000 of the available funding was earmarked
to specific projects authorized in SAFETEA-LU. The $28,753,000 of Clean
Fuels Grant program funding that was unallocated in FY 2008 remains
available for discretionary award.
This announcement is available on the Internet on the FTA Web site
at: http://www.fta.dot.gov. FTA will announce final selections on the
Web site 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 http://www.grants.gov. Proposals may be submitted to
FTA electronically at [email protected] or through the GRANTS.GOV
``APPLY'' function. Those who apply via e-mail at [email protected] should
receive a confirmation e-mail within 2 business days.
DATES: Complete proposals for the Clean Fuels Grant Program must be
submitted by July 21, 2008. The proposals must be submitted
electronically through the GRANTS.GOV Web site or via e-mail at
[email protected]. Anyone intending to apply electronically through
GRANTS.GOV should initiate the process of registering on the GRANTS.GOV
site immediately to ensure completion of registration before the
deadline for submission. FTA will announce grant selections in the
Federal Register when the selection process is complete.
ADDRESSES: Supplemental information that cannot be submitted
electronically may be submitted to the appropriate Regional Office (See
Appendix A).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the appropriate FTA Regional
Office for general program information (Appendix A). For application-
specific information and issues, contact Kimberly Sledge, Office of
Transit Programs, (202) 366-2053, E-mail: [email protected] or
Henrika Buchanan-Smith, (202) 366-4020, E-mail: [email protected]. A TDD is available at 1-800-877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Table of Contents
I. Funding Opportunity Description
II. Award Information
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Application and Submission Information
V. Application Review, Selection, and Notification
VI. Award Administration
Appendix A FTA Regional Offices
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Authority
The program is authorized under Section 5308(b) of SAFETEA-LU, Pub.
L 109-59, August 10, 2005.
``The Secretary shall make grants in accordance with this section
to recipients to finance eligible projects.''
B. Background
The program was first established as the Clean Fuels Formula Grant
Program in Section 3008 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century, Pub. L. 105-178, June 9, 1998. The program was developed to
assist non-attainment or maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining
the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and CO.
Additionally, the program supported 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, Congress did not allocate funds to the program. SAFETEA-LU
changed the Clean Fuels Program from a formula based grant program to a
discretionary grant program. However, the program retained its initial
purpose.
[[Page 29844]]
II. Award Information
In FY 2008, $28,753,000 in Clean Fuels Program funds are available
to fund capital projects in areas that are maintenance or non-
attainment for ozone or CO. These funds are available at up to 90
percent of the net incremental of the clean fuels component.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants under this program are designated recipients,
which are entities designated to receive Federal urbanized formula
funds under 49 U.S.C. 5307. Areas with multiple transit operators but
one designated recipient should submit a consolidated proposal.
B. Eligible Expenses
SAFETEA-LU grants authority to the Secretary to make grants under
this section to assist recipients to finance eligible projects such as
the following;
(1) Purchasing or leasing clean fuel buses, including buses that
employ a lightweight composite primary structure and vans for use in
revenue service. The purchase or lease of non-revenue vehicles is not
an eligible project. A definition of ``clean fuel'' vehicles can be
found in the Clean Fuel Grant Program Regulation at 49 CFR 624.3.
(2) Constructing or leasing clean fuel bus facilities or electrical
recharging facilities and related equipment. Facilities and related
equipment for clean diesel buses are not eligible.
(3) Projects relating to clean fuel, biodiesel, hybrid electric, or
zero emissions technology buses that exhibit equivalent or superior
emissions reductions to existing clean fuel or hybrid electric
technologies.
Funds made available under this program cannot be used to fund
operating expenses or preventive maintenance. Funds made available
under this program cannot be used to reimburse projects that have
incurred prior eligible expenses without a Letter of No Prejudice
(LONP) issued by FTA for the project before the costs are incurred.
C. Cost Sharing or Matching
Costs will be shared at the following ratio: 90 percent FTA/10
percent local contribution for net incremental cost of the clean fuels
component or 83 percent FTA/17 percent local contribution for the total
project cost when purchasing vehicles. The Federal share for biodiesel
buses is 90 percent/10 percent local share of the total project cost.
FTA will not approve deferred local share under this program.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Proposal Submission Process
Project proposals may be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov or by e-mail electronically at [email protected]. Mail and
fax submissions will not be accepted except for supplemental
information that cannot be sent electronically.
Applicants can only apply for funds appropriated for the 2008
fiscal year. However, an applicant may propose a project that would
expend money over multiple years. The project, however, should be ready
to implement and should be completed in a reasonable period of time. In
sum, the period of performance of the award is separate from the year
of funds of the award.
B. Application Content
(1) Applicant Information
This addresses basic identifying information, including:
i. Applicant name,
ii. Contact information (including contact name, address, fax and
phone number,
iii. Description of services provided by the agency, including
areas served, and
iv. Existing fleet, facility and employee information, and
v. A description of your technical, legal, and financial capacity
to implement the proposed project.
(2) Project Information
Every proposal must:
i. Describe the project to be funded and include with the proposal
any necessary supporting documentation. Example: Information on the age
of the current fleet, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
concurrence letters, population forecasts, ridership information.
ii. Address each of the evaluation criteria separately.
iii. Describe why the project is important to the area and how the
project addresses local priorities.
iv. Provide a line item budget for the project.
v. Provide the Federal amount requested for each purpose for which
funds are sought.
vi. Document matching funds, including amount and source of the
match.
vii. Provide project time-line, including significant milestones
such as date or contract for purchase of vehicle(s), actual or expected
delivery date of vehicles and contract award and completion of facility
improvements.
C. Funding Restrictions
Only proposals from eligible recipients for eligible activities
will be considered for funding (see Section III). Due to funding
limitations, applicants that are selected for funding may receive less
than the amount requested.
D. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants should submit 3 copies of any supplemental information
that cannot be submitted electronically to the appropriate regional
office. Supplemental information submitted in hardcopy must be
postmarked by July 21, 2008.
V. Application Review Information
A. Project Evaluation Criteria
Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
(1) Demonstrated Need
i. Project represents a one-time or periodic need that cannot
reasonably be funded from formula allocations or State and/or local
revenues.
ii. Project or applicant did not receive funding in a SAFETEA-LU
earmark.
iii. The project will have a positive impact on air quality.
iv. The project is consistent with the applicant's bus fleet
management plan.
v. The project is a transportation control measure in an approved
State Implementation Plan.
(2) Planning and Prioritization at Local/Regional Level
i. Project is consistent with the transit priorities identified in
the long range plan and/or contingency/illustrative projects. The
project could not be included in the financially constrained
Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP)/Statewide Transportation Program
(STIP) due to lack of funding (if selected, project must be on TIP
before grant award).
ii. Local support is demonstrated by availability of local match
for this and/or related projects and letters of support.
iii. In an area with more than one transit operator, the
application demonstrates coordination with and support of other transit
operators, or other related projects within the applicant's MPO or the
geographic region within which the proposed project will operate.
(3) The Project Is Ready To Implement
i. Any required environmental work has been initiated for
construction projects requiring an Environmental Assessment (EA).
ii. Implementation plans are ready, including initial design of
facilities projects.
[[Page 29845]]
iii. TIP/STIP can be amended (evidenced by MPO/State endorsement).
vi. Project can be obligated and implemented quickly, if selected.
(4) The applicant demonstrates the benefits of the proposed project
in reducing transportation related pollutants.
(5) The proposed project supports emerging clean fuels technologies
or advanced technologies for transit buses.
(6) The applicant demonstrates the technical, legal, and financial
capacity to carry out the project. This criterion refers to
implementation of the particular project proposed.
i. The applicant has the technical capacity to administer the
project.
ii. The acquisition is consistent with the bus fleet management
plan.
iii. There are no outstanding legal, technical, or financial issues
with the grantee that would make this a high risk project.
iv. Source of local match is identified and is available for prompt
project implementation if selected (no deferred local share will be
allowed).
B. Review and Selection Process
Proposals will first be screened and ranked by the appropriate FTA
regional office (see Appendix A). After evaluating the projects based
on the established criteria, the headquarters review team will provide
a recommendation to the FTA Administrator. The Administrator will
determine the final selection and amount of funding for each project.
FTA will publish the list of all selected projects and funding
levels in the Federal Register. Regional offices will also notify
successful applicants of their success and the amount of funding
awarded to the project.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
FTA will screen all proposals to determine whether all required
eligibility elements, as described in III ``Eligibility Information''
are present. Once proposals have been reviewed and projects have been
selected, FTA will award funds to the lead project sponsor to implement
the project. These grants will be administered and managed by the FTA
regional offices in accordance with the federal requirements of the
Section 5308 program. FTA will award funding to successful applicants
through a grant in FTA's TEAM grant management system.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
1. Grant Requirements
If selected, applicants will apply for a grant through TEAM and
adhere to the customary FTA grant requirements of the Section 5308
Clean Fuels Grant program, including those of the current version of
FTA C 9300 and the Master Agreement. Discretionary grants greater than
$500,000 will go through Congressional Notification and release
process. Technical assistance regarding these requirements is available
from each FTA regional office.
The Applicant must submit the Certifications and Assurances prior
to receiving a grant. The Applicant assures that it will comply with
all applicable Federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, FTA
circulars, and other Federal administrative requirements in carrying
out any project supported by the FTA grant. The Applicant acknowledges
that it is under a continuing obligation to comply with the terms and
conditions of the grant agreement issued for its project with FTA. The
Applicant understands that Federal laws, regulations, policies, and
administrative practices might be modified from time to time and affect
the implementation of the project. The Applicant agrees that the most
recent Federal requirements will apply to the project, unless FTA
issues a written determination otherwise.
2. Planning
Applicants are encouraged to notify the appropriate State DOT and
MPO in areas likely to be served by the project funds made available
under this program. Incorporation of funded projects in the long range
plans and transportation improvement programs of States and
metropolitan areas is required of all funded projects.
3. Reporting
Post-award reporting requirements for grantees who purchase or
lease hybrid electric, battery electric and fuel cell vehicles include
semiannual submission of the following for the first three years of the
useful life of the vehicle (this report should be attached in TEAM):
i. Vehicle miles traveled;
ii. Fuel/energy costs;
iii. Vehicle fuel/energy consumption and oil consumption;
iv. Number of road calls or breakdowns resulting from clean fuel
and advanced propulsion technology systems; and
v. Maintenance costs associated with the clean fuels or advanced
propulsion system.
Note: Recipients of financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. 5308
that purchase or lease compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied
natural gas (LNG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles may
report the information described above, but this reporting is
voluntary. Recipients of financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. 5308
that purchase or lease clean diesel vehicles are not required to
report information beyond FTA grant reporting requirements for
capital projects.
VII. Agency Contact(s)
Contact the appropriate FTA Regional Office (see Appendix A) for
application-specific information and issues. For general program
information, contact Kimberly Sledge, Office of Transit Programs, (202)
366-2053, e-mail: [email protected]. A TDD is available at 1-800-
877-8339 (TDD/FIRS).
Issued in Washington, DC, this 14th day of May, 2008.
James S. Simpson,
Administrator.
Appendix A
Richard H. Doyle, Regional Administrator, Region 1-Boston, Kendall
Square, 55 Broadway, Suite 920, Cambridge, MA 02142-1093, Tel. 617-494-
2055, States served: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, and Vermont
Brigid Hynes-Cherin, Regional Administrator, Region 2-New York, One
Bowling Green, Room 429, New York, NY 10004-1415, Tel. 212-668-2170,
States served: New Jersey, New York
Letitia Thompson, Regional Administrator, Region 3-Philadelphia, 1760
Market Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4124, Tel. 215-656-
7100, States served: Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West
Virginia, and District of Columbia
Yvette Taylor, Regional Administrator, Region 4-Atlanta, 230 Peachtree
Street, NW., Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30303, Tel. 404-865-5600, States
served: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi Islands
Marisol Simon, Regional Administrator, Region 5-Chicago, 200 West Adams
Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60606, Tel. 312-353-2789, States served:
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Robert C. Patrick, Regional Administrator, Region 6-Ft. Worth, 819
Taylor Street, Room 8A36, Ft. Worth, TX 76102, Tel. 817-978-0550,
States served: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas
[[Page 29846]]
Mokhtee Ahmad, Regional Administrator, Region 7-Kansas City, MO, 901
Locust Street, Room 404, Kansas City, MO 64106, Tel. 816-329-3920,
States served: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska
Terry Rosapep, Regional Administrator, Region 8-Denver, 12300 West
Dakota Ave., Suite 310, Lakewood, CO 80228-2583, Tel. 720-963-3300,
States served: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming
Leslie T. Rogers, Regional Administrator, Region 9-San Francisco, 201
Mission Street, Room 1650, San Francisco, CA 94105-1926, Tel. 415-744-
3133, States served: American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii,
Nevada, and the Northern Mariana Islands
Rick Krochalis, Regional Administrator, Region 10-Seattle, Jackson
Federal Building, 915 Second Avenue, Suite 3142, Seattle, WA 98174-
1002, Tel. 206-220-7954. States served: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington
[FR Doc. E8-11224 Filed 5-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-P