81 FR 81237 - Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 222 (November 17, 2016)

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the information collection and their expected burdens. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collections of information was published on August 16, 2016 (81 FR 54658).

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 222 (Thursday, November 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81237-81238]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27641]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2016-0043]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The 
ICR describe the nature of the information collection and their 
expected burdens. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collections of information 
was published on August 16, 2016 (81 FR 54658).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 19, 2016.

ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725--17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk 
Officer. Alternatively, comments may be sent via email to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and 
Budget, at the following address: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tia Swain, Office of Administration, 
Management Planning Division, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop

[[Page 81238]]

TAD-10, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-0354 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 
1320, require Federal agencies to issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On August 16, 2016, FTA published a 60-day notice (81 FR 
54658) in the Federal Register soliciting comments on the ICR that the 
agency was seeking OMB approval. FTA received no comments after issuing 
this 60-day notice. Accordingly, DOT announces that these information 
collection activities have been re-evaluated and certified under 5 CFR 
1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 
CFR 1320.12(c).
    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30 day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30 day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summaries below describe the nature of the information 
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The 
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by 
the PRA.
    Title: 49 U.S.C. 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2132-0502.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: 49 U.S.C. 5307 The Urbanized Area Formula Funding program 
(49 U.S.C. 5307) makes Federal resources available to urbanized areas 
and to Governors for transit capital and operating assistance and for 
transportation related planning in urbanized areas. An urbanized area 
is a Census-designated area with a population of 50,000 or more as 
determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 
Funding is made available to designated recipients, which must be 
public bodies with the legal authority to receive and dispense Federal 
funds. Governors, responsible local officials and publicly owned 
operators of transit services are required to designate a recipient to 
apply for, receive, and dispense funds for urbanized areas pursuant to 
49 U.S.C. 5307(a)(2). The Governor or Governor's designee is the 
designated recipient for urbanized areas between 50,000 and 200,000. 
Eligible activities include planning, engineering, design and 
evaluation of transit projects and other technical transportation-
related studies; capital investments in bus and bus-related activities 
such as replacement of buses, overhaul of buses, rebuilding of buses, 
crime prevention and security equipment and construction of maintenance 
and passenger facilities; and capital investments in new and existing 
fixed guideway systems including rolling stock, overhaul and rebuilding 
of vehicles, track, signals, communications, and computer hardware and 
software. All preventive maintenance and some Americans with 
Disabilities Act complementary paratransit service costs are considered 
capital costs. For urbanized areas with populations less than 200,000, 
operating assistance is an eligible expense. For urbanized areas with 
200,000 in population and over, funds are apportioned and flow directly 
to a designated recipient selected locally to apply for and receive 
Federal funds. For urbanized areas under 200,000 in population, the 
funds are apportioned to the Governor of each state for distribution. 
With the passing of Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, the 
100 Bus Rule was been expanded to include demand response service, 
excluding ADA complementary paratransit service. An exception to the 
100 Bus Rule has been added as well. If a public transportation system 
executes a written agreement with one or more other public 
transportation systems within the urbanized area to allocate funds by a 
method other than by measuring vehicle revenue hours, each public 
transportation system that is part of the written agreement may follow 
the terms of the written agreement instead of the measured vehicle 
revenue hours. Under Grant Recipient Requirements, a provision has been 
added that directs recipients to maintain equipment and facilities in 
accordance with their transit asset management plan. Recipients are no 
longer required to expend 1% of their funding for associated transit 
improvements. However, recipients are still required to submit an 
annual report listing projects that were carried out in the preceding 
fiscal year. The Passenger Ferry Grant Program is also available to 
urbanized areas under the authority provided through 49 U.S.C. 5307 
(Section 5307). This program provides discretionary opportunity to 
capital projects. Capital projects include, but are not limited to, the 
purchase, replacement, or rehabilitation of ferries and terminals and 
related equipment. Funds may not be used to fund operating expenses, 
planning, or preventive maintenance.
    Annual Estimated Total Burden Hours: 117,000 hours.
    Comments Are Invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology. A comment to OMB is best assured of having its 
full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register.

William Hyre,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-27641 Filed 11-16-16; 8:45 am]
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