[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38747-38748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16374]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2003-15491]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces the Information Collection 
Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for extension of the currently approved 
information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day 
comment period soliciting comments was published on March 18, 2003.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before July 28, 2003. A comment to 
OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia L. Marion, Office of 
Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-6680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Nondiscrimination as it Applies to FTA Grant Programs (OMB 
Number: 2132-0540).
    Abstract: 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.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,325 hours.
    Title: Title VI as it applies to FTA Grant Programs.
    Abstract: 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 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.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 5,332 hours.

ADDRESSES:  All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information

[[Page 38748]]

and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk Officer.
    Comments are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued: June 24, 2003.
Rita L. Wells,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-16374 Filed 6-27-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-57-M