oppFR-CRS-18-004-cfda20.325-cidFR-CRS-18-004-062649-instructions.pdf

34283 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 139 / Thursday, July 19, 2018 / Notices burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and

(4) ways that the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information.

The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB’s clearance of this information collection.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;

and 49 CFR 1.48.

Issued on: July 13, 2018.

Michael Howell, Information Collection Officer.

[FR Doc. 2018–15426 Filed 7–18–18; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in California

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Limitation on Claims for Judicial Review of Actions by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327.

SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, U.S. 101 between post miles 8.2 and 8.7 in the County of Del Norte, State of California.

Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

DATES: By this notice, the FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is advising the public of final agency actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). A claim seeking judicial review of the Federal agency actions on the highway project will be barred unless the claim is filed on or before December 17, 2018. If the Federal law that authorizes judicial review of a claim provides a time period of less than 150 days for filing such claim, then that shorter time period still applies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kellie Eldridge, Environmental Planner, Caltrans, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501, kellie.eldridge@dot.ca.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective July 1, 2007, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) assigned, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assumed, environmental responsibilities for this project pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327.

Notice is hereby given that Caltrans has taken final agency actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1) by issuing licenses, permits, and approvals for the following highway project in the State of California: The Hunter and Panther Creek Bridges Seismic Restoration Project located on U.S. 101 between post miles 8.2 and 8.7 in Del Norte County, State of California, would upgrade Hunter and Panther Creek Bridges to current seismic and design standards by (1) replacing the existing three-span structure with two pier walls at Hunter Creek with a two-span structure with one pier, and (2) by replacing the existing three-span structure with two multi-columned piers at Panther Creek with a single-span, steel tied arch structure without piers. The project is expected to be completed within two years. The actions by the Federal agencies, and the laws under which such actions were taken, are described in the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the project, approved July 5, 2018, and in other documents in the Caltrans project records. The EA, FONSI, and other project records are available by contacting Caltrans at the address provided above. The Caltrans EA and FONSI can be viewed and downloaded from the project website at http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist1/d1projects/ hunter_panther/.

This notice applies to all Federal agency decisions as of the issuance date of this notice and all laws under which such actions were taken, including but not limited to:

1. National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA)

2. Clean Water Act

3. Endangered Species Act

4. Migratory Bird Treaty Act

5. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

6. Civil Rights Act, Title VI

7. E.O. 11990 Protection of Wetlands

8. E.O. 11988 Floodplain Management (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this program.)

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1).

Tashia J. Clemons, Director, Planning and Environment, Federal Highway Administration, Sacramento, California.

[FR Doc. 2018–15419 Filed 7–18–18; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–RY–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors (UCR Board) and Subcommittee Meetings.

TIME AND DATE: The meetings will occur on the following schedule and will take place in the Mountain (Daylight) Time Zone:

Thursday, August 23, 2018

8:15 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Registration System Subcommittee

9:00 a.m.–12:00 Noon. UCR Board PLACE: These meetings will be open to the public at the Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown, 215 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, and via conference call. Those not attending the meetings in person may call toll-free; 1–877–422–1931, passcode 2855443940, to listen and participate in the meetings.

STATUS: Open to the public.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors (the Board) will continue its work in developing and implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement and to that end, may consider matters properly before the Board. An agenda for these meetings will be available no later than 5:00 p.m.

Eastern Daylight Time, August 14, 2018 at: https://ucrplan.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified Carrier Registration Board of Directors at

(505) 827–4565.

Issued on: July 16, 2018.

Larry W. Minor, Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

[FR Doc. 2018–15603 Filed 7–17–18; 4:15 pm]

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Notice of Funding Opportunity for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

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34284 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 139 / Thursday, July 19, 2018 / Notices

1 The term ‘‘grant’’ is used throughout this document and is intended to reference funding awarded through a grant agreement, as well as funding awarded through a cooperative agreement.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO or notice).

SUMMARY: This notice details the application requirements and procedures to obtain grant 1 funding for eligible projects under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. CRISI Program funding under this notice is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, (2018 Appropriation). Funding for positive train control (PTC) systems deployment included in the 2018 Appropriation is provided under a different NOFO published on May 18, 2018 (CRISI PTC NOFO). Applicants may apply for funding for PTC system elements under this NOFO as well if such elements are otherwise eligible under the CRISI Program. The opportunities described in this notice are made available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 20.325, ‘‘Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements.’’ DATES: Applications for funding under this solicitation are due no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, September 17, 2018.

Applications received after 5:00 p.m.

EDT on September 17, 2018 will not be considered for funding. Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding. See Section D of this notice for additional information on the application process.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted via www.Grants.gov. Only applicants who comply with all submission requirements described in this notice and submit applications through www.Grants.gov will be eligible for award. For any supporting application materials that an applicant is unable to submit via www.Grants.gov (such as oversized engineering drawings), an applicant may submit an original and two (2) copies to Ms. Amy Houser, Office of Program Delivery, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36–412, Washington, DC 20590. However, due to delays caused by enhanced screening of mail delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, applicants are advised to use other means of conveyance (such as courier service) to assure timely receipt of materials before the application deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further project or program-related information in this notice, please contact Ms. Frances Bourne, Office of

Policy and Planning, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W38–207, Washington, DC 20590; email:

frances.bourne@dot.gov; phone: 202– 493–6366. Grant application submission and processing questions should be addressed to Ms. Amy Houser, Office of Program Delivery, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36–412, Washington, DC 20590; email:

amy.houser@dot.gov; phone: 202–493– 0303.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice to applicants: FRA recommends that applicants read this notice in its entirety prior to preparing application materials. A list providing the definitions of key terms used throughout the NOFO is in Section A(2) below. These key terms are capitalized throughout the NOFO. There are several administrative prerequisites and specific eligibility requirements described herein that applicants must comply with to submit an application.

Additionally, applicants should note that the required Project Narrative component of the application package may not exceed 25 pages in length.

Table of Contents

A. Program Description B. Federal Award Information C. Eligibility Information D. Application and Submission Information E. Application Review Information F. Federal Award Administration

Information G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

A. Program Description

1. Overview This program provides a comprehensive solution to leverage private, state and local investments to support safety enhancements and general improvements to infrastructure for both intercity passenger and freight railroads. The U.S. rail network is central to the success of the American economy, carrying more than 1.6 billion tons of freight valued at nearly $600 billion annually, and over 31.3 million passengers on intercity rail passenger transportation services. Both services primarily operate over privately-owned and maintained infrastructure, allowing for strong private, capital market investment that generates public benefit, including public-private partnerships among other models.

The Department is committed to addressing the unmet transportation infrastructure needs of rural areas.

Underinvestment in rural transportation systems has allowed a slow and steady decline in the transportation routes that connect rural American communities to each other and to the rest of the country, fraying the fabric of American interconnectivity. A majority of the nation’s rail route miles are in rural America. Investment is necessary to grow rural economies, facilitate freight movement, improve access to reliable and affordable transportation options and enhance health access and safety for residents.

The Department also recognizes the importance of applying life cycle asset management principles throughout America’s infrastructure. It is important for rail infrastructure owners and operators, as well as those who may apply on their behalf, to plan for the maintenance and replacement of assets and the associated costs. In light of recent fatal passenger rail accidents, the Department particularly recognizes the opportunity to enhance safety in both track and equipment through this grant program.

Congress authorized this grant program for the Secretary to invest in a wide range of projects within the United States to improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; mitigate congestion at both intercity passenger and freight rail chokepoints; enhance multi-modal connections; and lead to new or substantially improved Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation corridors.

Additionally, the program includes rail safety projects, such as grade crossing enhancements, and rail line relocations and improvements. Applicable work also includes: rail regional and corridor planning, environmental analyses, and research, workforce development, and training. The purpose of this notice is to solicit applications for the competitive CRISI Program funding provided in the 2018 Appropriation that was not included in the CRISI PTC NOFO. The CRISI Program is authorized under Section 11301 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law 114–94 (2015); 49 U.S.C.

24407 and funds made available in this NOFO are provided in the 2018 Appropriation.

2. Definitions of Key Terms

a. ‘‘Benefit-Cost Analysis’’ (or ‘‘Cost-

Benefit Analysis’’) is a systematic, data driven, and transparent analysis comparing monetized project benefits and costs, using a no-build baseline and properly discounted present values, including concise documentation of the assumptions and methodology used to produce the analysis; a description of the baseline, data sources used to project outcomes, and values of key input parameters; basis of modeling including spreadsheets, technical

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1 See 74 FR 53030, 53043 (August 24, 2011) available at https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/ reference/fedreg/fedregv76n164.pdf.

memos, etc.; and presentation of the calculations in sufficient detail and transparency to allow the analysis to be reproduced and for sensitivity of results evaluated by FRA. Please refer to the Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs prior to preparing a BCA at https:// www.transportation.gov/office-policy/ transportation-policy/benefit-cost-analysis-guidance. In addition, please also refer to the BCA FAQs on FRA’s website for some rail specific examples of how to apply the BCA Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs to CRISI applications.

b. ‘‘Capital Project’’ means a project for: Acquiring, constructing, improving, or inspecting rail equipment, track and track structures, or a rail facility;

expenses incidental to the acquisition or Construction including pre-construction activities (such as designing, engineering, location surveying, mapping, acquiring rights-of-way) and related relocation costs, environmental studies, and all work necessary for FRA to approve the project under the National Environmental Policy Act and related environmental laws and regulations; highway-rail grade crossing improvements; communication and signalization improvements; and rehabilitating, remanufacturing or overhauling rail rolling stock and facilities.

c. ‘‘Construction’’ means the production of fixed works and structures or substantial alterations to such structures or land and associated costs.

d. ‘‘Final Design (FD)’’ means design activities following Preliminary Engineering, and at a minimum, includes the preparation of final Construction plans, detailed specifications, and estimates sufficiently detailed to inform project stakeholders (designers, reviewers, contractors, suppliers, etc.) of the actions required to advance the project from design through completion of Construction.

e. ‘‘Improvement’’ means repair or enhancement to existing Rail Infrastructure, or Construction of new Rail Infrastructure, that results in efficiency of the rail system and the safety of those affected by the system.

f. ‘‘Initiation’’ or ‘‘Initiate’’ means commencing service on a route that did not previously operate Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation.

g. ‘‘Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation’’ means rail passenger transportation, except commuter rail passenger transportation. See 49 U.S.C.

24401(3). In this notice, ‘‘Intercity Passenger Rail Service’’ and ‘‘Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation’’ are equivalent terms to ‘‘Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation.’’

h. ‘‘National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)’’ is a Federal law that requires Federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of a proposed action in consultation with appropriate federal, state, and local authorities, and with the public. The NEPA class of action depends on the nature of the proposed action, its complexity, and the potential impacts. For purposes of this NOFO, NEPA also includes all related Federal laws and regulations including Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. (See FRA’s Environmental Procedures at: https:// www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L02561.)

i. ‘‘Planning’’ means activities that support the development of a state or regional rail plan or a corridor service development plan.

j. ‘‘Positive Train Control (PTC) system’’ is defined by 49 CFR 270.5 to mean a system designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, incursions into established work zone limits, and the movement of a train through a switch left in the wrong position, as described in 49 CFR part 236, subpart I.

k. ‘‘Preliminary Engineering (PE)’’ means engineering design to: (1) Define a project, including identification of all environmental impacts, design of all critical project elements at a level sufficient to assure reliable cost estimates and schedules, (2) complete project management and financial plans, and (3) identify procurement requirements and strategies. The PE development process starts with specific project design alternatives that allow for the assessment of a range of rail improvements, specific alignments, and project designs—to be used concurrent with project or service level NEPA and related analyses. PE occurs prior to FD and Construction.

l. ‘‘Rail Carrier’’ means a person providing common carrier railroad transportation for compensation, but does not include street, suburban, or interurban electric railways not operated as part of the general system of rail transportation. See 49 U.S.C.

10102(5).

m. ‘‘Railroad Infrastructure’’ means intermodal or rail facilities, including track, bridges, tunnels, rail yards, buildings, passenger stations, and maintenance and repair shops. In this NOFO, ‘‘Rail Infrastructure’’ is an equivalent term to ‘‘Railroad Infrastructure.’’

n. ‘‘Relocation’’ is defined by 49 CFR

262.3 to mean moving a rail line vertically or laterally to a new location.

Vertical Relocation refers to raising above the current ground level or sinking below the current ground level of a rail line. Lateral Relocation refers to moving a rail line horizontally to a new location.

o. ‘‘Restoration’’ means reinstating service to a route that formerly operated Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation.

p. ‘‘Rural Project’’ means a project in which all or the majority of the project (determined by the geographic location or locations where the majority of the project funds will be spent) is located in a Rural Area.

q. ‘‘Rural Area’’ is defined in 49 U.S.C. 24407(g)(2) to mean any area not in an urbanized area as defined by the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau defines Urbanized Area (UA) as an area with a population of 50,000 or more people.1 Updated lists of UAs as defined by the Census Bureau are available on the Census Bureau website at http:// www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/ UAUC_RefMap/ua/.

r. ‘‘Tier 1 NEPA’’ includes the analysis and evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of an action at a broad level, such as a program concept for an entire corridor, and typically does not lead directly to project construction.

It identifies the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives being considered for the program, as well as the mitigations that may be needed to address the impacts. The potential environmental impacts and mitigations must be incorporated into each alternative that is evaluated. These are generally Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) that result in the identification of a preferred alternative.

s. ‘‘Tier 2 NEPA’’ includes the required analysis and evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of an action at a project-specific level of detail. Tier 2 NEPA should be sufficient to support Final Design and Construction activities and may include an EIS, an environmental assessment (EA), or a categorical exclusion (CE).

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Award Amount The total funding available for awards under this NOFO is $318,430,337 of which $35,547,000 will be for projects under 49 U.S.C. 24407(c)(2) that contribute to the Initiation or Restoration of Intercity Passenger Rail Service consistent with the 2018

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2 See Section D(2)(a)(iv) for supporting documentation required to demonstrate eligibility under this eligibility category.

3 See Section D(2)(a)(iv) for supporting information required to demonstrate eligibility under this eligibility category.

Appropriation. Of the CRISI funding made available in the 2018 Appropriation (including amounts available under this NOFO and the CRISI PTC NOFO) at least 25 percent, will be made available for Rural Projects as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 24407(g).

After $5,925,470 is set aside for FRA award and program oversight, the balance of the 2018 Appropriation CRISI Program funding includes $250,000,000 set aside for certain PTC projects and $18,191,193 set aside for Special Transportation Circumstances. These funds were announced under separate NOFOs.

2. Award Size There are no predetermined minimum or maximum dollar thresholds for awards. FRA anticipates making multiple awards with the available funding. FRA may not be able to award grants to all eligible applications, nor even to all applications that meet or exceed the stated evaluation criteria (see Section E, Application Review Information). Projects may require more funding than is available. FRA encourages applicants to propose projects or components of projects that have operational independence and that can be completed and implemented with CRISI funding as a piece of the total project cost together with other, non-federal sources.

FRA strongly encourages applicants to identify and include other state, local, public, or private funding or financing to support the proposed project in order to maximize competitiveness.

3. Award Type FRA will make awards for projects selected under this notice through grant agreements and/or cooperative agreements. Grant agreements are used when FRA does not expect to have substantial Federal involvement in carrying out the funded activity.

Cooperative agreements allow for substantial Federal involvement in carrying out the agreed upon investment, including technical assistance, review of interim work products, and increased program oversight. The funding provided under these cooperative agreements will be made available to grantees on a reimbursable basis. Applicants must certify that their expenditures are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary to the approved project before seeking reimbursement from FRA.

Additionally, the grantee is expected to expend matching funds at the required percentage alongside Federal funds throughout the life of the project. See an example of standard terms and conditions for FRA grant awards at:

https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/ L19057.

4. Concurrent Applications

As DOT and FRA are concurrently soliciting applications for transportation infrastructure projects for several financial assistance programs, applicants may submit applications requesting funding for a particular project to one or more of these programs. In the application for CRISI Program funding under this NOFO, applicants must indicate the other programs, and if applicable the other CRISI NOFOs, to which they submitted or plan to submit an application for funding the entire project or certain project components, as well as highlight new or revised information in the application responsive to this NOFO that differs from the application(s) for other federal financial assistance programs or other CRISI NOFOs.

C. Eligibility Information

This section of the notice explains applicant eligibility, cost sharing and matching requirements, project eligibility, and project component operational independence. Applications that do not meet the requirements in this section will be ineligible for funding. Instructions for submitting eligibility information to FRA are detailed in Section D of this NOFO.

1. Eligible Applicants

The following entities are eligible applicants for all project types permitted under this notice:

a. A State;

b. A group of States;

c. An Interstate Compact;

d. A public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more States; 2

e. A political subdivision of a State;

f. Amtrak or another Rail Carrier that provides Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation (as defined in 49 U.S.C.

24102);

g. A Class II railroad or Class III railroad (as those terms are defined in 49 U.S.C. 20102);

h. Any Rail Carrier or rail equipment manufacturer in partnership with at least one of the entities described in paragraph (a) through (e); 3

i. The Transportation Research Board together with any entity with which it contracts in the development of rail-related research, including cooperative research programs;

j. A University transportation center engaged in rail-related research; or

k. A non-profit labor organization representing a class or craft of employees of Rail Carriers or Rail Carrier contractors.

Applications must identify an eligible applicant as the lead applicant. The lead applicant serves as the primary point of contact for the application, and if selected, as the recipient of the CRISI Program grant award. Eligible applicants may reference entities that are not eligible applicants in an application as a project partner.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

The Federal share of total costs for projects funded under this notice will not exceed 80 percent, though FRA will provide selection preference to applications where the proposed Federal share of total project costs is 50 percent or less. The estimated total cost of a project must be based on the best available information, including engineering studies, studies of economic feasibility, environmental analyses, and information on the expected use of equipment and/or facilities.

Additionally, in preparing estimates of total project costs, applicants should refer to FRA’s cost estimate guidance documentation, ‘‘Capital Cost Estimating: Guidance for Project Sponsors,’’ which is available at:

https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0926.

The minimum 20 percent non-Federal match may be comprised of public sector (e.g., state or local) and/or private sector funding. FRA will not consider any Federal financial assistance, nor any non-Federal funds already expended (or otherwise encumbered) that do not comply with 2 CFR 200.458, as applicable, toward the matching requirement. FRA is limiting the first 20 percent of the non-Federal match to cash contributions only. FRA will not accept ‘‘in-kind’’ contributions for the first 20 percent in matching funds.

Eligible in-kind contributions may be accepted for any non-Federal matching beyond the first 20 percent. In-kind contributions, including the donation of services, materials, and equipment, may be credited as a project cost, in a uniform manner consistent with 2 CFR

200.306. Moreover, FRA encourages

applicants to broaden their funding table in applications. Non-federal shares consisting of funding from multiple sources (e.g., a state, county, railroad, and university contributing to a grade crossing improvement) to demonstrate broad participation and cost sharing

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5 Only FD and Construction costs are eligible within this project eligibility category. Funding for PTC projects under 49 U.S.C. 24407(c)(1) are eligible under the CRISI PTC NOFO published on May 18, 2018, and such projects are not eligible for funding under this NOFO.

4 The scope, schedule, and budget necessary to implement a project, as well as the definition of the project’s potential benefits, are typically informed by the work conducted in prior phases of project development (e.g., the specific elements of an FD/ Construction project and their cost estimates are developed and refined through PE.) The evaluation criteria for the CRISI program (see Section E of this NOFO) considers the level of detail contained in the applicant’s proposed scope of work and readiness for the project to be implemented.

from affected stakeholders, will be given preference.

Amtrak or another Rail Carrier may use ticket and other non-Federal revenues generated from its operations and other sources as matching funds.

Applicants must identify the source(s) of its matching and other funds, and must clearly and distinctly reflect these funds as part of the total project cost.

Before applying, applicants should carefully review the principles for cost sharing or matching in 2 CFR 200.306.

See Section D(2)(a)(iii) for required application information on non-Federal match and Section E for further discussion of FRA’s consideration of matching funds in the review and selection process. FRA will approve pre-award costs consistent with 2 CFR 200.458, as applicable. See Section D(6).

3. Other

a. Project Eligibility

The following rail projects within the United States that improve the safety, efficiency, and/or reliability of passenger and/or freight rail transportation systems are eligible for funding under 49 U.S.C. 24407 and this

NOFO.

i. Under 49 U.S.C. 24407(c)(1) deployment of non-PTC railroad safety technology and rail integrity inspection systems. Examples include: Broken rail detection and warning systems; track intrusion systems; and hot box detectors, wheel impact load detectors, and other safety improvements.5

ii. A capital project as defined in 49 U.S.C. 24401(2) relating to Intercity Passenger Rail Service, except that such projects under this NOFO are not required to be in a State rail plan.

Examples include: Acquisition, improvement, or rehabilitation of railroad equipment (locomotives and rolling stock); Railroad Infrastructure (grade crossings, catenary, and signals);

and rail facilities (yards, passenger stations, or maintenance and repair shops).

iii. A Capital Project necessary to address congestion challenges affecting rail service. Examples include: Projects addressing congestion that increase rail capacity; add or upgrade the condition, clearances, and capacity of rail mainlines; enhance capacity and service with less conflict between freight and intercity passenger rail; reduce delays and risks associated with highway-rail grade crossings; and provide more effective rail equipment.

iv. A Capital Project necessary to reduce congestion and facilitate ridership growth in Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation along heavily traveled rail corridors. Examples include: Projects addressing congestion that improve stations; increase rail capacity; reduce conflict between freight and intercity passenger rail; reduce delays and risks associated with highway-rail grade crossings; and provide more effective rail equipment.

v. A highway-rail grade crossing improvement project, including installation, repair, or improvement of grade separations, railroad crossing signals, gates, and related technologies;

highway traffic signalization; highway lighting and crossing approach signage;

roadway improvements such as medians or other barriers; railroad crossing panels and surfaces; and safety engineering improvements to reduce risk in quiet zones or potential quiet zones.

vi. A rail line Relocation and Improvement project. Examples include projects that: Improve the route or structure of a rail line by replacing degraded track; enhance/relocate railroad switching operations; add or lengthen passing tracks to increase capacity; improve interlockings; and relocate rail lines to alleviate congestion, and eliminate frequent rail service interruptions.

vii. A Capital Project to improve short-line or regional Railroad Infrastructure.

viii. The preparation of regional rail and corridor service development plans and corresponding environmental analyses. (See the examples under Track 1 and 2 below in Subsections C(3)(b)(i)–

(ii) as they apply to regional and corridor rail Planning.)

ix. A project necessary to enhance multimodal connections or facilitate service integration between rail service and other modes, including between Intercity Rail Passenger Transportation and intercity bus service or commercial air service. Examples include:

Intermodal transportation facilities projects that encourage joint scheduling, ticketing, and/or baggage handling;

freight rail intermodal connections; and rail projects improving access to ports.

x. The development and implementation of a safety program or institute designed to improve rail safety.

Examples include: Employee training;

and public safety outreach and education.

xi. Any research that the Secretary considers necessary to advance any particular aspect of rail related capital, operations, or safety improvements.

xii. Workforce development and training activities, coordinated to the extent practicable with the existing local training programs supported by the Department of Transportation, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Education.

b. Project Tracks for Eligible Projects Applicants are not limited in the number of projects for which they seek funding. FRA will not limit eligible projects from consideration for funding for planning, environmental, engineering, design, and construction elements of the same project in the same application. Applicants are allowed to include multiple phases of a project in the same application. However, depending on the project, applications for multiple phases of project development may not contain sufficient detail with regards to scope, schedule, or budget for all phases of the application to compete well in the application review process.4

An applicant must identify one or more of the following four tracks for an eligible project: Track 1—Planning;

Track 2—PE/NEPA; Track 3—FD/ Construction; or Track 4—Research, Safety Programs and Institutes.

i. Track 1—Planning Track 1 consists of eligible rail

Planning projects. Examples include the technical analyses and associated environmental analyses that support the development of state rail plans, regional rail plans, and corridor service development plans, including:

Identification of alternatives, rail network Planning, market analysis, travel demand forecasting, revenue forecasting, railroad system design, railroad operations analysis and simulation, equipment fleet Planning, station and access analysis, conceptual engineering and capital programming, operating and maintenance cost forecasting, capital replacement and renewal analysis, railroad industry governance and organization, and economic analysis.

ii. Track 2—PE/NEPA Track 2 consists of eligible PE/NEPA projects. PE examples include: PE drawings and specifications (scale

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iii. Track 3—FD/Construction Track 3 consists of eligible projects consisting of FD, Construction, and project implementation and deployment activities. Applicants must complete all necessary Planning, PE and NEPA requirements for FD/Construction projects. FD funded under this track must: Resolve remaining uncertainties or risks associated with changes to design scope; address procurement processes; and update and refine plans for financing the project or program to reflect accurately the expected year-of-expenditure costs and cash flow projections. Applicants selected for funding for FD/Construction must demonstrate the following to FRA’s satisfaction:

(A) PE is completed for the proposed project, resulting in project designs that are reasonably expected to conform to all regulatory, safety, security, and other design requirements, including those under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);

(B) NEPA is completed for the proposed project;

(C) Signed agreements with key project partners, including infrastructure-owning entities; and

(D) A project management plan is in-place for managing the implementation of the proposed project, including the management and mitigation of project risks.

FD examples include: Drawings at the 100% Design Level, interim design drawings that support development (e.g., drawings at the 60% Design Level), project work/project management plan, cost estimates, project schedules, and right-of-way acquisition and relocation plans. Construction examples include:

Additions, improvements, replacements, renovations and/or repairs to track, bridge, station, rail yard, signal, and communication system infrastructure, or other railroad safety technology.

iv. Track 4—Research, Safety Programs and Institutes (Non-Railroad Infrastructure)

Track 4 consists of projects not falling within Tracks 1–3 and for the development and implementation of workforce development activities, research, safety programs or institutes designed to improve rail safety that clearly demonstrate the expected positive impact on rail safety. Sufficient detail must be provided on what the project will accomplish, as well as the applicant’s capability to achieve the proposed outcomes. Examples include:

Initiatives for improving rail safety, training, public outreach, and education.

c. Project Component Operational Independence

If an applicant requests funding for a project that is a component or set of components of a larger project, the project component(s) must be attainable with the award amount, together with other funds as necessary, obtain operational independence, and must comply with all eligibility requirements described in Section C.

In addition, the component(s) must be capable of independent analysis and decision making, as determined by FRA, under NEPA (i.e., have independent utility, connect logical termini, if applicable, and not restrict the consideration of alternatives for other reasonably foreseeable rail projects.)

d. Rural Project

FRA will consider a project to be in a Rural Area if all or the majority of the project (determined by geographic location(s) where the majority of the project funds will be spent) is located in a Rural Area. However, in the event FRA elects to fund a component of the project, then FRA will reexamine whether the project is in a Rural Area.

D. Application and Submission Information

Required documents for the application are outlined in the following paragraphs. Applicants must complete and submit all components of the application. See Section D(2) for the application checklist. FRA welcomes the submission of additional relevant supporting documentation, such as planning, engineering and design documentation, and letters of support from partnering organizations that will not count against the Project Narrative 25-page limit.

1. Address To Request Application Package

Applicants must submit all application materials in their entirety through www.Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT, on September 17, 2018.

FRA reserves the right to modify this deadline. General information for submitting applications through Grants.gov can be found at: https:// www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0270.

For any supporting application materials that an applicant cannot submit via Grants.gov, such as oversized engineering drawings, an applicant may submit an original and two (2) copies to Ms. Amy Houser, Office of Program Delivery, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W36–412, Washington, DC 20590. However, due to delays caused by enhanced screening of mail delivered via the U.S. Postal Service, FRA advises applicants to use other means of conveyance (such as courier service) to assure timely receipt of materials before the application deadline. Additionally, if documents can be obtained online, providing instructions to FRA on how to access files on a referenced website may also be sufficient.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FRA strongly advises applicants to read this section carefully. Applicants must submit all required information and components of the application package to be considered for funding.

Additionally, applicants selected to receive funding must generally satisfy the grant readiness checklist requirements on https:// www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0268 as a precondition to FRA issuing a grant award, as well as the requirements in 49 U.S.C. 24405 explained in part at https://www.fra.dot.gov/page/P0185.

Required documents for an application package are outlined in the checklist below.

i. Project Narrative (see D.2.a)

ii. Statement of Work (see D.2.b.i)

iii. Benefit-Cost Analysis (see D.2.

b.ii)

iv. SF424—Application for Federal

Assistance

v. Either: SF 424A—Budget

Information for Non-Construction projects (required for Tracks 1, 2 and 4) or SF 424C—Budget Information for Construction (required for any application that includes Track 3)

vi. Either: SF 424B—Assurances for Non-Construction projects (required for Tracks 1, 2 and 4) or SF 424D— Assurances for Construction (required

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34289 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 139 / Thursday, July 19, 2018 / Notices for any application that includes Track 3)

vii. FRA’s Additional Assurances and Certifications

viii. SF LLL—Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

a. Project Narrative

This section describes the minimum content required in the Project Narrative of the grant application. The Project Narrative must follow the basic outline below to address the program requirements and assist evaluators in locating relevant information.

I. Cover Page ..................... See D.2.a.i.

II. Project Summary ........... See D.2.a.ii.

III. Project Funding ............ See D.2.a.iii.

IV. Applicant Eligibility ....... See D.2.a.iv.

V. Project Eligibility ............ See D.2.a.v.

VI. Detailed Project De-scription.

See D.2.a.vi.

VII. Project Location .......... See D.2.a.vii.

VIII. Evaluation and Selec-tion Criteria.

See D.2.a.viii.

IX. Project Implementation and Management.

See D.2.a.ix.

X. Planning Readiness ...... See D.2.a.x.

XI. Environmental Readi-ness.

See D.2.a.xi.

The above content must be provided in a narrative statement submitted by the applicant. The Project Narrative may not exceed 25 pages in length

(excluding cover pages, table of contents, and supporting documentation). FRA will not review or consider for award applications with Project Narratives exceeding the 25-page limitation. If possible, applicants should submit supporting documents via website links rather than hard copies. If supporting documents are submitted, applicants must clearly identify the page number(s) of the relevant portion in the Project Narrative supporting documentation. The Project Narrative must adhere to the following outline.

i. Cover Page: Include a cover page that lists the following elements in a table:

Project Title Applicant Project Track ...................................................................................................................................................... 1,2,3 and/or 4.

Will this project contribute to the Restoration or Initiation of Intercity Passenger Rail Service? .............. Yes/no.

Was a Federal grant application previously submitted for this project? ...................................................... Yes/no.

If yes, state the name of the Federal grant program and title of the project in the previous application. Federal Grant Program:

Project Title:

If applicable, what stage of NEPA is the project in (e.g., EA, Tier 1 NEPA, Tier 2 NEPA, or CE)? ............ NEPA stage:

Is this a Rural Project? What percentage of the project cost is based in a Rural Area? ............................... Yes/no Percentage of total project cost:

City(ies), State(s) where the project is located Urbanized Area where the project is located Population of Urbanized Area Is the project currently programmed in the:

State rail plan, State Freight Plan, TIP, STIP, MPO Long Range Transportation Plan, State Long Range

Transportation Plan?.

Yes/no (If yes, please specify in which plans the project is cur-rently programmed).

ii. Project Summary: Provide a brief 4–6 sentence summary of the proposed project and what the project will entail.

Include challenges the proposed project aims to address, and summarize the intended outcomes and anticipated benefits that will result from the proposed project.

iii. Project Funding: Indicate in table format the amount of Federal funding requested, the proposed non-Federal match, identifying contributions from the private sector if applicable, and total project cost. Describe the non-Federal funding arrangement, including multiple sources of non-federal funding if applicable. Include funding commitment letters outlining funding agreements, as attachments or in an appendix. Identify any specific project components that the applicant proposes for partial project funding. If all or a majority of a project is located in a Rural Area, identify the Rural Area(s) and estimated percentage of project costs that will be spent in the Rural Area.

Identify any previously incurred costs, as well as other sources of Federal funds committed to the project and any pending Federal requests. Also, note if the requested Federal funding under this or other CRISI NOFOs or other programs must be obligated or spent by a certain date due to dependencies or relationships with other Federal or non- Federal funding sources, related projects, law, or other factors. If applicable, provide the type and estimated value of any proposed in-kind contributions, and demonstrate how the in-kind contributions meet the requirements in 2 CFR 200.306.

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iv. Applicant Eligibility: Explain how the applicant meets the applicant eligibility criteria outlined in Section C of this notice, including references to creation or enabling legislation for public agencies and publicly chartered authorities established by one or more States. If the applicant is eligible under 49 U.S.C. 24407(b)(8) as a rail carrier or rail equipment manufacturer in partnership with at least one of the other eligible entities, the applicant should explain the partnership and each entity’s contribution to the partnership.

v. Project Eligibility: Identify which project eligibility category the project is eligible under in Section C(3) of this notice, and explain how the project meets the project eligibility criteria.

vi. Detailed Project Description:

Include a detailed project description that expands upon the brief project summary. This detailed description should provide, at a minimum, background on the challenges the project aims…