[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6607-6608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3194]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 98-1]


Supplemental Emergency Preparedness Grant Program

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: RSPA is providing notice of the availability of grant funds in 
the amount of $250,000 and soliciting applications from national 
nonprofit employee organizations engaged solely in fighting fires to 
train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training 
programs. RSPA also seeks comments on the provisions contained in this 
notice in order to improve operation of the program. Grant application 
packages, reflecting comments made, will be available on April 1, 1998.

DATES: Comments. Comments must be submitted on or before March 10, 
1998.
    Applications. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and applications to the Grants Unit, DHM-
64, Room 8104, Research and Special Programs Administration, Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles G. Rogoff, Grants Manager, 
Office of Hazardous Materials Planning and Analysis, Research and 
Special Programs Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 
Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, telephone: (202) 366-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The Hazardous Materials Transportation Authorization Act of 1994 
(HMTAA; Pub. L. 103-311) amended 49 U.S.C. 5116 and added a new 
subsection (j) concerning supplemental training grants. These 
supplemental grants are intended to further the purposes of the State 
and Indian tribe grants under section 5116(b) to train public sector 
employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving hazardous 
material. Section 5116(j)(1) provides that the Secretary of 
Transportation shall, subject to the availability of funds, make grants 
to national nonprofit employee organizations engaged solely in 
firefighting to train instructors to conduct training programs for 
individuals responding to hazardous materials accidents. Section 
5116(j)(2) requires the Secretary to consult with interested 
organizations to identify regions or locations in which fire 
departments are in need of training and prioritize those needs. Section 
5116(j)(3) provides that funds granted to an organization may only be 
used to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response 
training programs, to purchase equipment used to train those 
instructors, and to disseminate information necessary to conduct those 
training programs. Section 5116(j)(4) provides that a grantee must 
agree to use courses developed under the National Training Curriculum, 
and section 5116(j)(5) provides that the Secretary may impose such 
additional terms and conditions on grants as the Secretary determines 
are necessary to carry out the objectives of the supplemental grant 
program. RSPA asks comments to address the definitions of eligible 
applicants and criteria for grant selection described below.

Availability of Funds

    Section 119(b) of the HMTAA amended 49 U.S.C. 5127(b) to provide 
that there shall be available to the Secretary, from the registration 
fee account established under section 5116(i), $250,000 for each of 
fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 (60 Federal Register 4,657, 
January 24, 1995). Under section 5116(i), amounts in the registration 
fee account are available without further appropriation.

[[Page 6608]]

Approximately $250,000 is projected to be available in fiscal year 
1998. Awards will be made for a 12-month budget period.

Eligible Applicants

    By law, grants are intended for ``national nonprofit employee 
organizations engaged solely in fighting fires for the purpose of 
training instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training 
programs for individuals with statutory responsibility to respond to 
hazardous materials accidents and incidents.'' 49 U.S.C. 5116(j)(1). 
RSPA interprets the first part of the quoted phrase to mean nonprofit 
organizations with employee members who fight fires.

Objectives of the Grant Program

    RSPA expects that, by training additional instructors, course 
deliveries to hazardous materials emergency responders will increase. 
Because many responders cannot leave their immediate locations for 
extended periods of time, due to budget and other limitations, one way 
to deliver training to them is to train sufficient instructors for 
required course deliveries at convenient locations.
    As provided by statute, funds awarded to an organization under this 
grant program may only be used to train instructors to conduct 
hazardous materials response training programs, to purchase training 
equipment used exclusively to train instructors to conduct those 
training programs, and to disseminate information and materials 
necessary for the conduct of those training programs. RSPA will make a 
grant to an organization under this program only if the organization 
enters into an agreement with RSPA to train instructors, on a 
nondiscriminatory basis, to conduct hazardous materials response 
training programs using a course or courses developed or identified as 
qualified under the curriculum guidelines prepared by RSPA and its 
interagency partners, or other courses that RSPA determines are 
consistent with the objectives of the curriculum guidelines.

Grant Application Requirements

    Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applications shall, 
at a minimum, discuss the following requirements:
    (1) How applicants intend to provide training for instructors of 
individuals with statutory responsibility to respond to accidents and 
incidents involving hazardous materials.
    (2) The regions or locations in which fire departments or other 
organizations providing emergency response to hazardous materials 
transportation accidents and incidents require hazardous materials 
training and the method used to identify those needs.
    (3) Prioritized training needs, and a description of the means for 
identifying additional specific training needs.
    (4) A statement of work that describes and sets priorities for the 
activities and tasks to be conducted, the costs associated with each 
activity, the number and types of deliverables and products to be 
completed, and a schedule for implementation, including availability to 
present an interim report at a HMEP Workshop.
    In addition, since RSPA expects that the amount of funds requested 
by all applicants may exceed a total of $250,000, applicants should 
provide a prioritized listing of specific program tasks to be performed 
and the cost of each task.
    RSPA encourages the addition of non-Federal funds to support the 
project, but does not require cost sharing. Program funding is 
dependent on collection of registration fees and may be less than the 
authorized amount. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 1998. An 
application kit will be available from RSPA on April 1, 1998.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 4, 1998.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 98-3194 Filed 2-6-98; 8:45 am]
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