Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program

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Federal RegisterSep 27, 2022
87 Fed. Reg. 58638 (Sep. 27, 2022)

AGENCY:

Federal Transit Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Notice of request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the extension of a currently approved information collection. FTA began the Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program in June 2022 under OMB emergency approval and is seeking renewal of this approval through OMB's standard PRA clearance process: Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted before November 28, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by only one of the following methods:

1. Website: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. (Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below for mailed and hand-delivered comments.

2. Fax: 202-366-7951.

3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments received, including any personal information, will be posted and will be available to internet users, without change, to www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and comments received, go to www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

ftaferryprograms@dot.gov, or call Vanessa Williams at (202)-366-4818

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Interested parties are invited to send comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, including: (1) the necessity and utility of the information collection for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection.

Title: Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program.

OMB Number: 2132-0583.

Background: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, established two new grant programs Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program (IIJA § 71102) and Ferry Service for Rural Communities (IIJA § 71103). Funding for these two new programs was announced on July 11, 2022, in a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) with FTA's existing Passenger Ferry Grant Program (49 U.S.C. 5307(h)). The Passenger Ferry Grant Program provides competitive funding for projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas. The Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program makes Federal funds available competitively to projects that support the purchase of electric or low-emitting ferry vessels. The Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program makes Federal funds available competitively to States and territories to ensure basic essential ferry service is provided to rural areas. FTA will use an online, web-based grant management system to collect the following information:

• Legal name of the applicant ( i.e., the legal name of the business entity), as well as any other identities under which the applicant may be doing business.

  • Address, telephone, and email contact information for the applicant.
  • Legal authority under which the applicant is established.
  • Name and title of the authorized representative of the applicant (who will attest to the required certifications).
  • DOT may also require the identity of external parties involved in preparation of the application, including outside accountants, attorneys, or auditors who may be assisting the business entity that is applying for assistance under this program.
  • The specific statutory criteria that the applicant meets for eligibility under this program. The statute defines eligible applicants to include municipalities or community owned utilities excluding for-profit entities. Accordingly, DOT will require the applicant to identify which of these categories they meet, and how.
  • Location where the applicant was legally established, created, or organized to do business. This information and supporting documentation will be required to demonstrate how the applicant meets the statutory requirement to be “established, created, or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States.”

• Other identification numbers, including but not limited to the Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN), Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, Unique Entity Identifier under 2 CFR part 25, etc. All applicants will be required to have pre-registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov/SAM/.

  • Description of the applicant's business operations, in sufficient detail to demonstrate how the applicant meets the statutory requirement as a municipality or community owned utility.
  • Responses to the evaluation criteria and selection consideration statements as outlined in the NOFO.

FTA estimates that it will take applicants approximately 10 hours to complete the application process. FTA estimates that grant recipients will spend another 4 hours, annually, submitting post-award reports. The burden estimate below accounts for the total amount of effort involved.

Respondents: Public transportation providers, local governmental entities, States, and federally recognized Tribes that operate a public ferry system.

Estimated Average Total Annual Respondents: 30.

Estimated Average Total Responses: 60.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 420.

Estimated Annual Burden per Respondent: 14 Hours.

Frequency: Annually.

Nadine Pembleton,

Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Administration.

[FR Doc. 2022-20835 Filed 9-26-22; 8:45 am]

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