[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 186 (Monday, September 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59322-59323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24126]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Notice of Availability of Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding Buy America & FRA's High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail
Program
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), United States Department
of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: FRA announces the availability of Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions regarding Buy America and FRA's High Speed Intercity
[[Page 59323]]
Passenger Rail Program. The Answers to Frequently Asked Questions can
be found on FRA's Web site at http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/11.shtml.
DATES: Written comments on FRA's Buy America Answers to Frequently
Asked Questions may be provided to the FRA on or before October 18,
2010.
ADDRESSES: Please submit your comments by one of the following means,
identifying your submissions by docket number FRA-2010-0147. All
electronic submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic
site at http://www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the
instructions below for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
(1) Web Site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions
for submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site;
(2) Fax: (202) 493-2251;
(3) Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, Room W12-140, Washington, DC,
20590-0001; or
(4) Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the first floor of the West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, 20590, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Instructions: All submissions must make reference to the ``Federal
Railroad Administration'' and include docket number FRA-2010-0147. Due
to security procedures in effect since October 2001, 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. Note that all submissions received,
including any personal information therein, will be posted without
change or alteration to http://www.regulations.gov. For more
information, you may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or visit
http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this notice,
please contact Ms. Linda Martin, Attorney-Advisor, FRA Office of Chief
Counsel, (202) 493-6062 or via e-mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Passenger Rail Investment and
Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) (Division B of Pub. L. 111-432)
authorized the appropriation of funds to establish several new
passenger rail grant programs, including capital investment grants to
support intercity passenger rail service (Sec. 301), high-speed
corridor development (Sec. 501), and congestion grants (Sec. 302).
FRA consolidated these and other closely related programs into the
High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) program, as detailed in
FRA's High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Interim Guidance (74
FR 29900 (June 23, 2009)) and as further detailed in a second set of
HSIPR interim program guidance governing the distribution of fiscal
year 2010 funding (75 FR 38344 and 38365 (July 1, 2010). Spending
authorized under PRIIA is subject to the Buy America provision of 49
U.S.C. 24405(a).
In 2009, President Obama, together with Vice President Biden and
Secretary of Transportation LaHood, articulated a new ``Vision for
High-Speed Rail in America'' (available on FRA's Web site). The HSIPR
program is a component of that vision, as is the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which appropriated funds for PRIIA-
authorized grant programs. The vision includes a goal to bolster
American passenger rail expertise and resources. The Buy America
requirements reinforce this goal, and aid in encouraging a domestic
market in the rail sector. PRIAA authorized FRA to operate the grant
programs under guidance, prior to the issuance of final regulations.
FRA is beginning the process of implementing regulations to govern the
application of the Buy America statute to all PRIIA-authorized spending
as part of the HSIPR program. As required, the proposed regulation will
be published in the Federal Register for public comment under RIN 2130-
AC23 and docket number FRA-2010-0147. In the interim, to aid grantees
who must immediately apply Section 24405(a) to funds granted them by
FRA, FRA is providing Answers to Frequently Asked Questions describing
its procedures for applying the Buy America provision in the HSIPR
program on its Web site at http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/11.shtml.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 22, 2010.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Policy and Development, Federal
Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-24126 Filed 9-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P