[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 20 (Monday, January 31, 2000)]
[Unknown Section]
[Pages 4629-4631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2013]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2000-6823]


Notice of Request for the Extension of Currently Approved 
Information Collections

AGENCY:  Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION:  Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend 
the following currently approved information collections:
    (1) Nondiscrimination as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs
    (2) Title VI as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs
    (3) Reporting of Technical Activities by FTA Grant Recipients
    (4) Bus Testing Program

DATES:  Comments must be submitted before March 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the United 
States Department of Transportation, Central Dockets Office, PL-401, 
400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. All comments received 
will be available for examination at the above address from 10 a.m. to 
5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those 
desiring notification of receipt of

[[Page 4630]]

comments must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard/envelope.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nondiscrimination as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs and Title VI as 
it Applies to FTA Grant Programs--Mr. Akira Sano, Office of Civil 
Rights, (202) 366-4018.
Reporting of Technical Activities by FTA Grant Recipients--Ms. Candace 
Noonan, Office of Planning, (202) 366-1648.
Bus Testing Program--Mr. Tim Johnson, Office of Research, Demonstration 
and Innovation, (202) 366-0212.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of these information collections, 
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to 
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the 
collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB reinstatement 
of this information collection.
    Title: Nondiscrimination as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs (OMB 
Number: 2132-0542).
    Background: All entities receiving Federal financial assistance 
from FTA are prohibited from discriminating against any employee or 
applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, sex, national 
origin, age, or disability. To ensure that FTA's equal employment 
opportunity (EEO) procedures are followed, FTA requires grant 
recipients to submit written EEO plans to FTA for approval. FTA's 
assessment of this requirement shows that the formulating, submitting, 
and implementing of EEO programs should minimally increase costs for 
FTA applicants and recipients.
    To determine a grantee's compliance with applicable laws and 
requirements, grantee submissions are evaluated and analyzed based on 
the following criteria. First, an EEO program must include an EEO 
policy statement issued by the chief executive officer covering all 
employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotions, 
terminations, transfers, layoffs, compensation, training, benefits, and 
other terms and conditions of employment. Second, the policy must be 
placed conspicuously so that employees, applicants, and the general 
public are aware of the agency's EEO commitment.
    The data derived from written EEO and affirmative action plans will 
be used by the Office of Civil Rights in monitoring grantees' 
compliance with applicable EEO laws and regulations. This monitoring 
and enforcement activity will ensure that minorities and women have 
equitable access to employment opportunities and that recipients of 
Federal funds do not discriminate against any employee or applicant 
because of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, or 
disability.
    Respondents: FTA grant recipients.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 30 hours for each the 150 
EEO submissions.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours.
    Frequency: On occasion, every 3 years, annually.
    Title: Title VI as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs (OMB Number: 
2132-0542).
    Background: Section 601 of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 
states: ``No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, 
color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied 
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity receiving Federal financial assistance.'' This information 
collection is required by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Title VI 
Regulation, 28 CFR part 42, subpart F (Sec. 42.406), and DOT Order 
1000.12. FTA policies and requirements are designed to clarify and 
strengthen these regulations. This requirement is applicable to all 
applicants, recipients, and subrecipients receiving Federal financial 
assistance. Experience has demonstrated that a program requirement at 
the application stage is necessary to assure that benefits and services 
are equitably distributed by grant recipients. The requirements 
prescribed by the Office of Civil Rights accomplish that objective 
while diminishing possible vestiges of discrimination among FTA grant 
recipients.
    FTA's assessment of this requirement indicated that the formulation 
and implementation of the Title VI program should occur with a decrease 
in costs to such applicants and recipients.
    All FTA grant applicants, recipients, and subrecipients are 
required to submit applicable Title VI information to the FTA Office of 
Civil Rights for review and approval. If FTA did not conduct pre-award 
reviews, solutions would not be generated in advance and program 
improvements could not be integrated into projects. FTA's experience 
with pre-award reviews for all projects and grants suggests this method 
contributes to maximum efficiency and cost effectiveness of FTA dollars 
and has kept post-award complaints to a minimum. Moreover, the 
objective of the Title VI statute can be more easily attained and 
beneficiaries of FTA funded programs have a greater likelihood of 
receiving transit services and related benefits on a nondiscriminatory 
basis.
    Respondents: FTA grant recipients.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 23.4 hours for each of the 
200 Title VI programs.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 4,680 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Title: Reporting of Technical Activities by FTA Grant Recipients 
(OMB Number: 2132-0549).
    Background: 49 U.S.C. Sections 5303 and 5313(a) and (b) authorize 
the use of Federal funds to assist metropolitan planning organizations 
(MPOs), states, and local public bodies in developing transportation 
plans and programs to serve future transportation needs of urbanized 
areas and nonurbanized areas throughout the nation. As part of this 
effort, MPOs are required to consider a wide range of goals and 
objectives and to analyze alternative transportation system management 
and investment strategies. These objectives are measured by definable 
activities such as planning certification reviews and other related 
activities.
    The information collected by these forms is used to report annually 
to Congress, the Secretary, and to the Federal Transit Administrator on 
how grantees are responding to national emphasis areas and 
congressional direction, and allows FTA to track grantees' use of 
Federal planning and research funds.
    Respondents: FTA grant recipients.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 3 hours for each of the 50 
respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 150 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Title: Bus Testing Program (OMB Number: 2132-0550).
    Background: 49 U.S.C. 5323(c) provides that no Federal funds 
appropriated or made available after September 30, 1989, may be 
obligated or expended for the acquisition of a new bus model (including 
any model using alternative fuels) unless the bus has been tested at 
the Bus Testing Center (Center) in Altoona, Pennsylvania. 49 U.S.C. 
5318(a) further specifies that each new bus model is to be tested for 
maintainability, reliability, safety, performance (including braking 
performance), structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise.

[[Page 4631]]

    The operator of the Bus Testing Center, the Pennsylvania 
Transportation Institute (PTI), has entered into a cooperative 
agreement with FTA. PTI operates and maintains the Center, and 
establishes and collects fees for the testing of the vehicles at the 
facility. Upon completion of the testing of the vehicle at the Center, 
a test report is provided to the manufacturer of the new bus model. The 
bus manufacturer certifies to an FTA grantee that the bus the grantee 
is purchasing has been tested at the Center. Also, grantees about to 
purchase a bus use this report to assist them in making their 
purchasing decisions. PTI maintains a reference file for all the test 
reports which are made available to the public.
    Respondents: Bus manufacturers.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 3 hours for each of the 20 
bus manufacturers.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 60 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.

    Issued: January 24, 2000.
Dorrie Y. Aldrich,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-2013 Filed 1-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-U