[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 86 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24505-24507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11570]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Grant Availability to Federally Recognized Indian Tribes for
Projects Implementing Traffic Safety on Indian Reservations
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs intends to make funds available
to Federally recognized Indian tribes on an annual basis for the
purpose of implementing traffic safety projects which are designed to
reduce the number of traffic accidents within Indian Country. Due to
the limited funding available for this program, all projects will be
reviewed and selected on a competitive basis. This notice informs
Indian tribes that grant funds are available. Information packets were
distributed in February 1997, to all tribal leaders on the latest
tribal leaders list.
DATES: Requests for funds must be received by June 1 of each program
year.
ADDRESSES: Each tribe must submit its request to the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Division of Safety Management, Attention: Indian Highway
Safety Program Coordinator, 505 Marquette Avenue, NW, Suite 1705,
Albuquerque, NM 87102.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tribes should direct questions
concerning the grant program to Larry Archambeau, the Bureau's Indian
Highway Safety Program Coordinator or to Charles L. Jaynes, Program
Administrator, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 505 Marquette Avenue, NW,
Suite 1705, Albuquerque, NM 87102, Telephone (505) 248-5053.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-87) provides for
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funding to assist Indian tribes
in implementing Highway Safety Projects. These projects are designed to
reduce the number of traffic crashes and their resulting fatalities,
injuries, and property damage within Indian reservations. All
Federally-recognized Indian tribes on Indian reservations are eligible
to receive this assistance. All tribes receiving awards of program
funds are reimbursed for costs incurred under the terms of 23 U.S.C.
Sec. 402 and subsequent amendments.
Responsibilities
For purposes of application of the Act, Indian reservations are
collectively considered a ``State'' and the Secretary, U.S. Department
of the Interior (DOI), is considered the ``Governor of a State.'' The
Secretary, DOI, delegated the authority to administer the programs
throughout all the Indian reservations in the United States to the
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs. The Assistant Secretary-Indian
Affairs further delegated the responsibility for primary administration
of the Indian Highway Safety Program to the Central Office, Division of
Safety Management (DSM), located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Chief,
DSM as program administrator of the Indian Highway Safety Program, has
two full-time staff members to assist in program matters and provide
technical assistance to the Indian tribes. It is at this level that
contacts with the DOT are made with respect to program approval,
funding of projects and technical assistance. DOT, through the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), is responsible for ensuring that the Indian
Highway Safety Program is carried out in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 402
and other applicable Federal statutes and regulations.
NHTSA is responsible for the apportionment of funds to the
Secretary of the Interior, review and approval of the Indian Highway
Safety Plan involving NHTSA highway safety program areas and technical
guidance and assistance to BIA.
FHWA is responsible for review and approval of the Indian Highway
Safety Plan involving FHWA highway safety program areas and technical
guidance and assistance to BIA.
Program Areas
The Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of
1987, 23 USC 402(j), required DOT to conduct a rulemaking process to
determine those programs most effective in reducing traffic crashes,
injuries, and fatalities. Those programs areas were determined to be
national priority program areas, and include the following:
(1) NHTSA Program areas:
(a) Alcohol and Other Drug Countermeasures;
(b) Police Traffic Services;
(c) Occupant Protection;
(d) Traffic Records; and
(e) Emergency Medical Services.
(2) FHWA Program Area: Roadway Safety.
(3) NHTSA and FHWA Program Area: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety.
Funding Criteria
The Bureau of Indian Affairs will reimburse for eligible costs
associated with the following:
(1) Alcohol and Other Drug Countermeasure--salary (DWI enforcement
officer); enforcement/education; NHTSA--approved training; approved
breath-testing equipment (must be included on most recent Consumer
Products List published by NHTSA); community/school alcohol traffic
safety education; DWI offender education; prosecution; adjudication;
and vehicle expenses.
(2) Police Traffic Services--salary (traffic enforcement/
education); traffic law enforcement/radar training; speed enforcement
equipment (must be listed on Consumer Products List published by
NHTSA); community/school education; and vehicle expenses.
(3) Occupant Protection:
(a) Child passenger safety--child car seat loaner program; car seat
transportation/storage, and public information/education.
(b) Community seat belt program--salary; education/promotional
materials;
[[Page 24506]]
office expense, and NHTSA-approved Occupant Protection Usage and
Enforcement (OPUE) training.
(4) Traffic-Records--salary; computerized equipment.
(5) Emergency Medical Services--training; public information
education.
(6) Roadway Safety--traffic signs (warning, regulatory, workzone);
hardware and sign posts.
(7) Community Traffic Safety Projects (CTSP)--project management;
public information and education training; law enforcement;
prosecution; djudication; data management.
Project Guidelines
BIA will send information packets to the tribes in the month of
February of each program year. Upon receipt of the information packet,
each tribe should prepare a proposed project based upon the following
guidelines:
(1) Program Planning. Program planning shall be based upon the
highway safety problems identified and countermeasures selected by the
tribe for the purpose of reducing traffic crash factors.
(2) Problem Identification. Highway traffic safety problems shall
be identified from the best data available. This data may be found in
tribal enforcement records on traffic crashes. Other sources of data
include ambulance records, court and police arrest records. The problem
identification process may be aided by using professional opinions of
personnel in law enforcement, Indian Health Service, driver education,
road engineers, etc. This data should accompany the funding request.
Impact problems should be indicated during the identification process.
An impact problem is a highway safety problem that contributes to car
crashes, fatalities and/or injuries, and one which may be corrected by
the application of countermeasures. Impact problems can be identified
from analysis of statewide and/or tribal traffic records. The analyses
should consider, as a minimum: pedestrian, motorcycle, bicycle,
passenger car, school bus, and truck accidents; records on problem
drivers, roadside and roadway hazards, alcohol involvement, youth
involvement, defective vehicle involvement, suspended or revoked driver
involvement, speed involvement, and child safety seat usage. Data
should accompany the funding request.
(3) Countermeasures Selection. When tribal highway traffic safety
problems are identified, the tribe must develop appropriate
countermeasures to solve or reduce the problems. The tribe should take
into account the overall cost of the countermeasures versus their
possible effect on the problem.
(4) Objectives/Performance Indicator. After countermeasure
selection, the objective(s) of the project must be expressed in clearly
defined, time-framed and measurable terms.
(5) Budget Format. The activities to be funded shall be outlined
according to the following object groups: personnel services, travel,
and transportation, rent/communications, printing and reproduction,
other services, equipment, and training. Each object group shall be
quantified, i.e., personnel activities should show number to be
employed, hours to be employed, hourly rate of pay, etc. Each object
group shall have sufficient detail to show what is to be procured, unit
cost, quarter in which the procurement is to be made and the total
cost, including any tribal contribution to the project.
(6) Evaluation Plan. Evaluation is the process of determining
whether a highway safety activity should be undertaken, if it is being
properly conducted, and if it has accomplished its objectives. The
tribe must include in the funding request a plan explaining how the
evaluation will be accomplished and identifying the criteria to be used
in measuring performance.
(7) Technical Assistance. The Indian Highway Safety Program staff
will be available to tribes for technical assistance in the development
of tribal projects.
(8) Section 402 Project Length. Section 402 funds may not be used
to fund the same project at one location or jurisdiction for more than
3 years.
(9) Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Indian
tribes receiving highway safety grants through the Indian Highway
Safety Program must certify that they will maintain a drug-free
workplace. The certification must be signed by an individual authorized
to sign for the tribe or reservation. The certification must be
received by the Department of Transportation before it will release
grant funds for that tribe or reservation. The certification must be
submitted with the tribal Highway Safety Project proposal.
Submission Deadline
Each tribe must submit its funding request to the BIA Indian
Highway Safety Program, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The request must be
received by the Indian Highway Safety Program by June 1 of each program
year. Requests for extension to this deadline will not be granted.
Modifications of the funding request received after the close of the
funding period will not be considered in the review and selection
processes.
Notification of Selection
The tribes selected to participate will be notified by letter. Each
tribe selected must include in its proposal a certification regarding
drug-free workplace requirements and a duly authorized tribal
resolution. The certification and resolution must be on file before
grant funds for the tribe or reservations can be released.
Notification of Non-Selection
The Program Administrator will notify each tribe of non-selection.
The tribe will be provided the reason for non-selection.
Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grant-in-Aid
Uniform grant administration procedures have been established on a
national basis for all grant-in-aid programs by DOT/NHTSA under 49 CFR
part 18, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments''. Uniform
procedures for State Highway Safety Programs have been codified by
NHTSA and FHWA in 23 CFR parts 1200, 1204, and 1205. Cost principles
applicable to grants and contracts with State and local government have
been established by OMB Circular A-87 and NHTSA Order 462-13A. It is
the responsibility of the Indian Highway Safety Program to establish
operating procedures consistent with the applicable provisions of these
rules.
Standards for Financial Management System
Tribal financial management systems must provide for:
(1) Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of financial results
of the Highway Safety Project.
(2) Adequate recordkeeping.
(3) Control over and accountability for all funds and assets.
(4) Comparison of actual with budgeted amounts.
(5) Documentation of accounting records.
(6) Appropriate auditing. Highway Safety Projects will be included
in the tribal A-128 single audit requirement.
Tribes will provide a quarterly financial and a program status
report to the Bureau's Indian Highway Safety Program Coordinator, 505
Marquette Avenue, NW, Suite 1705, Albuquerque, NM 87102. These reports
will be submitted no later than 7 days beyond the reporting month.
[[Page 24507]]
Project Monitoring
During the program year, it is the responsibility of the BIA Indian
Highway Safety Program to maintain a degree of project oversight,
provide technical assistance as needed to assist the project in
fulfilling its objectives, and assure that grant provisions are
complied.
Project Evaluation
BIA will conduct a performance evaluation for each Highway Safety
Project. The evaluation will measure the actual accomplishments to the
planned activity. BIA will evaluate the project on-site at the
discretion of the Indian Highway Safety Program Administrator.
Dated: April 24, 1997.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-11570 Filed 5-2-97; 8:45 am]
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