[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21795-21796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10765]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2000-7392]


Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century: Implementation 
Guidance for the National Corridor Planning and Development Program and 
the Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; closing of public docket.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA will not be soliciting full applications for fiscal 
year (FY) 2002 National Corridor Planning and Development Program and 
the Coordinated Border Infrastructure (NCPD/CBI) Program funds. 
Additionally, the FHWA does not plan to solicit applications for FY 
2003 NCPD/CBI Program funds until Congress completes action on the FY 
2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act. Finally, the FHWA does not plan to 
solicit statements of intent to apply for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI Program 
before or after action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program issues: Mr. Martin Weiss, 
Office of Intermodal and Statewide Programs, HEPS-10, (202) 366-5010; 
or for legal issues: Mr. Robert Black, Office of the Chief Counsel, 
HCC-30, (202) 366-1359; Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 
4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem 
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing 
Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet 
users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's home page at: 
http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing Office's 
database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

    The NCPD and the CBI programs are discretionary grant programs 
funded by a single funding source. These programs provide funding for 
planning, project development, construction and operation of projects 
that serve border regions near Mexico and Canada and high priority 
corridors throughout the United States. Under the NCPD program, States 
and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are eligible for 
discretionary grants for: Corridor feasibility; corridor planning; 
multistate coordination; environmental review; and construction. Under 
the CBI program, border States and MPOs are eligible for discretionary 
grants for: transportation and safety infrastructure improvements, 
operation and regulatory improvements, and coordination and safety 
inspection improvements in a border region.
    Sections 1118 and 1119 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
21st Century (TEA-21), (Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, at 161, June 
9, 1998), established the NCPD and CBI programs, respectively. These 
programs respond to substantial interest dating from 1991. In that 
year, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), 
(Public Law 102-240, 105 Stat. 1914, December 18, 1991), designated a 
number of high priority corridors. Subsequent legislation modified the 
corridor descriptions and designated additional corridors. Citizen and 
civic groups promoted many of these corridors as a means to accommodate 
international trade. Similarly, since 1991 a number of studies 
identified infrastructure and operational deficiencies near the U.S. 
borders with Mexico and Canada. Also various groups, some international 
and/or intergovernmental, studied opportunities to improve 
infrastructure and operations.
    Funds for the NCPD and CBI are provided by a single funding source. 
The combined authorized funding for these two programs is $140 million 
in each year from FY 1999 to FY 2003 (a total of $700 million). Program 
funds are limited by the requirements of section 1102 (obligation 
ceiling) of the TEA-21.
    In FY 1999, the FHWA received about 150 applications under the 
NCPB/CBI programs. Of those applications, the FHWA awarded fifty five. 
In FY 2000, the FHWA received about 150 applications. Of these 
applications, the FHWA awarded sixty five; however, approximately 50 
percent of the program funds were awarded to projects designated by 
congressional appropriation committees in the reports accompanying the 
U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2000. In FY 2001, the FHWA received 
about 150 applications. Of these applications, the FHWA awarded fifty 
four, however about 65 percent of the funds were awarded to projects 
designated by congressional appropriation committees in the reports 
accompanying the U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2001. Of the awards 
in FY 1999, FY 2000 and FY 2001 most were for less than the requested 
funding.
    On May 7, 2001, the FHWA placed a notice in the Federal Register at 
66 FR 23073 that solicited statements of intent to apply, as opposed to 
full solicitations. This was done partly because the FHWA did not know 
how much funding would be available and by soliciting intent to apply 
rather than applications, it would reduce cost to grant seekers, grant 
reviewers and/or grant coordinators. This Federal Register notice also 
continued a docket (FHWA-2000-7392) for comments concerning the notice 
or the program in general. No comments were placed in that docket in 
the period ending April 15, 2000.
    By August 2001, States and MPOs submitted about 200 statements of 
intent to apply for about $3 billion.
    The President signed the FY 2002 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act in 
December 2001. Congress increased funding for the program by more than 
200 percent by setting aside additional funds for the program under 
provisions of section 110 of title 23 U.S.Code, otherwise known as the 
Revenue Aligned Budget Authority (RABA). However, consistent with the 
trend of past years, all the FY 2002 funds will be awarded to projects 
designated by the congressional appropriations committee in the report 
accompanying the U.S. DOT Appropriations Act for FY 2002. (See H.R. 
Conf. Rep. No. 107-308 at 82; November 30, 2001). Notwithstanding the 
designation noted above, the FHWA maintains a public listing of the 
``statements of intent'' on the internet at the URL: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/corbor/2002/intenttoapply2002.html.

[[Page 21796]]

    Therefore, the FHWA will not be soliciting full applications for FY 
2002 NCPD/CBI program funds. Additionally, the FHWA does not plan to 
solicit applications for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI program funds until the 
Congress completes action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act. 
Finally, the FHWA does not plan to solicit statements of intent to 
apply for FY 2003 NCPD/CBI program funds either before or after 
congressional action on the FY 2003 U.S. DOT Appropriations Act.
    States that wish to substantially modify their Statements of intent 
for their own reasons may, of course, do so, and similarly those who 
wish to send the modification to the FHWA Divisions in their State may 
do so.
    Finally, because no comments were submitted to the docket and 
because of the designations noted above, the FHWA is closing the docket 
on this program.
    Information concerning the NCPD/CBI program, including grant 
applications, grant selections, solicitations, maps, statutory 
language, etc. are available on the internet at the following URL:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/corbor/index.html.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315; Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107, 161 
to 164, as amended; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on:April 22, 2002.
Mary E. Peters,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-10765 Filed 4-30-02; 8:45 am]
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