[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 65422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26082]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Agency Request for Emergency Processing of Collections of 
Information Associated With Today's Publication of Notice of Funding 
Availability and Solicitation of Applications

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby gives notice 
that it has submitted the following information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Emergency 
Processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 
44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection 
of information identified below on or before November 6, 2013, for 180 
days after the date of approval by OMB. A copy of this ICR, with 
applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling FRA's 
Clearance Officer, Mr. Robert Brogan (tel. (202) 493-6292). These 
numbers are not toll-free. A copy of this ICR may also be obtained 
electronically by contacting Mr. Brogan at [email protected]. 
Comments and questions about the ICR identified below should be 
directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 
Attn: FRA OMB Desk Officer, 725 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503. 
Comments and questions about the ICR identified below may also be 
transmitted electronically to OIRA at [email protected].

DATES: Comments should be submitted as soon as possible upon 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Title: Notice of Funding Availability and Solicitation of 
Applications for Grants under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair 
Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130--New.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Affected Public: 49 States.
    Form(s): SF-424, SF-424C, SF-424D, SF LLL.
    Other Instruments: Collection of Information Associated with the 
NOFA Published in Today's Federal Register.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 10.0 Grant Applications 
(Electronic).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,790 hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There is approximately $1,870,000 available 
in the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair Grant Program, which was 
originally supported with up to $20,000,000 of Federal funds provided 
to FRA as part of the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 110-329, September 30, 
2008) (the Act). On November 6, 2008, FRA issued a Notice of Funding 
Availability (NOFA) soliciting applications for grants to fund eligible 
projects. FRA received applications and evaluated them according to 
criteria described in the notice. Based on the applications submitted 
and the subsequent evaluations, FRA selected projects totaling 
approximately $15,000,000 under this Program. Then on October 7, 2009, 
FRA issued another NOFA for the remaining $5,000,000. FRA received 
applications and evaluated them according to criteria described in the 
notice and subsequently selected 10 additional projects to receive 
funding. Due to a variety of factors, such as projects completed under 
their awarded amount, FRA has approximately $1,870,000 in funds 
remaining for this program.
    Funds provided under this Program will assist Class II and Class 
III railroads to repair and rehabilitate infrastructure damaged by 
hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters in areas for which the 
President declared a major disaster after January 1, 2008, under Title 
IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act of 1974. Applicant eligibility is limited to State departments of 
transportation.
    The funding provided under these grants will be made available to 
grantees on a reimbursement basis. FRA anticipates awarding grants to 
multiple eligible participants. FRA may choose to award a grant or 
grants within the available funds in any amount. The grantees must 
exhaust all other Federal and State resources prior to seeking 
assistance under this Program. FRA will begin accepting grant 
applications on November 6, 2013. Applications may be submitted until 
5:00 p.m. EST, December 9, 2013.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 29, 2013.
Corey Hill,
Director, Office of Passenger and Freight Programs.
[FR Doc. 2013-26082 Filed 10-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P