[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21795-21796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10765]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2000-7392]
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century: Implementation
Guidance for the National Corridor Planning and Development Program and
the Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice; closing of public docket.
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SUMMARY: The FHWA will not be soliciting full applications for fiscal
year (FY) 2002 National Corridor Planning and Development Program and
the Coordinated Border Infrastructure (NCPD/CBI) Program funds.
Additionally, the FHWA does not plan to solicit applications for FY
2003 NCPD/CBI Program funds until Congress completes action on the FY
2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act. Finally, the FHWA does not plan to
solicit statements of intent to apply for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI Program
before or after action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program issues: Mr. Martin Weiss,
Office of Intermodal and Statewide Programs, HEPS-10, (202) 366-5010;
or for legal issues: Mr. Robert Black, Office of the Chief Counsel,
HCC-30, (202) 366-1359; Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to
4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing
Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet
users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's home page at:
http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing Office's
database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.
Background
The NCPD and the CBI programs are discretionary grant programs
funded by a single funding source. These programs provide funding for
planning, project development, construction and operation of projects
that serve border regions near Mexico and Canada and high priority
corridors throughout the United States. Under the NCPD program, States
and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are eligible for
discretionary grants for: Corridor feasibility; corridor planning;
multistate coordination; environmental review; and construction. Under
the CBI program, border States and MPOs are eligible for discretionary
grants for: transportation and safety infrastructure improvements,
operation and regulatory improvements, and coordination and safety
inspection improvements in a border region.
Sections 1118 and 1119 of the Transportation Equity Act for the
21st Century (TEA-21), (Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, at 161, June
9, 1998), established the NCPD and CBI programs, respectively. These
programs respond to substantial interest dating from 1991. In that
year, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA),
(Public Law 102-240, 105 Stat. 1914, December 18, 1991), designated a
number of high priority corridors. Subsequent legislation modified the
corridor descriptions and designated additional corridors. Citizen and
civic groups promoted many of these corridors as a means to accommodate
international trade. Similarly, since 1991 a number of studies
identified infrastructure and operational deficiencies near the U.S.
borders with Mexico and Canada. Also various groups, some international
and/or intergovernmental, studied opportunities to improve
infrastructure and operations.
Funds for the NCPD and CBI are provided by a single funding source.
The combined authorized funding for these two programs is $140 million
in each year from FY 1999 to FY 2003 (a total of $700 million). Program
funds are limited by the requirements of section 1102 (obligation
ceiling) of the TEA-21.
In FY 1999, the FHWA received about 150 applications under the
NCPB/CBI programs. Of those applications, the FHWA awarded fifty five.
In FY 2000, the FHWA received about 150 applications. Of these
applications, the FHWA awarded sixty five; however, approximately 50
percent of the program funds were awarded to projects designated by
congressional appropriation committees in the reports accompanying the
U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2000. In FY 2001, the FHWA received
about 150 applications. Of these applications, the FHWA awarded fifty
four, however about 65 percent of the funds were awarded to projects
designated by congressional appropriation committees in the reports
accompanying the U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2001. Of the awards
in FY 1999, FY 2000 and FY 2001 most were for less than the requested
funding.
On May 7, 2001, the FHWA placed a notice in the Federal Register at
66 FR 23073 that solicited statements of intent to apply, as opposed to
full solicitations. This was done partly because the FHWA did not know
how much funding would be available and by soliciting intent to apply
rather than applications, it would reduce cost to grant seekers, grant
reviewers and/or grant coordinators. This Federal Register notice also
continued a docket (FHWA-2000-7392) for comments concerning the notice
or the program in general. No comments were placed in that docket in
the period ending April 15, 2000.
By August 2001, States and MPOs submitted about 200 statements of
intent to apply for about $3 billion.
The President signed the FY 2002 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act in
December 2001. Congress increased funding for the program by more than
200 percent by setting aside additional funds for the program under
provisions of section 110 of title 23 U.S.Code, otherwise known as the
Revenue Aligned Budget Authority (RABA). However, consistent with the
trend of past years, all the FY 2002 funds will be awarded to projects
designated by the congressional appropriations committee in the report
accompanying the U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2002. (See H.R.
Conf. Rep. No. 107-308 at 82; November 30, 2001). Notwithstanding the
designation noted above, the FHWA maintains a public listing of the
``statements of intent'' on the internet at the URL: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/corbor/2002/intenttoapply2002.html.
[[Page 21796]]
Therefore, the FHWA will not be soliciting full applications for FY
2002 NCPD/CBI program funds. Additionally, the FHWA does not plan to
solicit applications for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI program funds until the
Congress completes action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act.
Finally, the FHWA does not plan to solicit statements of intent to
apply for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI program funds either before or after
congressional action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act.
States that wish to substantially modify their Statements of intent
for their own reasons may, of course, do so, and similarly those who
wish to send the modification to the FHWA Divisions in their State may
do so.
Finally, because no comments were submitted to the docket and
because of the designations noted above, the FHWA is closing the docket
on this program.
Information concerning the NCPD/CBI program, including grant
applications, grant selections, solicitations, maps, statutory
language, etc. are available on the internet at the following URL:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/corbor/index.html.
Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, 161
to 164, as amended; 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued on:April 22, 2002.
Mary E. Peters,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-10765 Filed 4-30-02; 8:45 am]
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