[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3149-3150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-563]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[Docket Number: FTA-2006-23636]


Notice of Availability of Guidance on New Starts Policies and 
Procedures and Request for Comments

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Federal Transit 
Administration's (FTA's) Guidance on New Starts Policies and Procedures 
and requests your comments on it. The guidance explains proposed 
changes to the New Starts program that will become effective April 30, 
2006 and longer-term changes to the New Starts program that FTA plans 
to be the subject of rulemaking in the future. FTA requests comments on 
both aspects of the guidance, which is available in DOT's electronic 
docket and on FTA's Web site.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 10, 2006. Late filed comments 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by DOT DMS Docket Number 
FTA-2006-23636] by any of the following methods:
    Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name (Federal Transit 
Administration) and the docket number (FTA-2006-23636). You should 
submit two copies of your comments if you submit them by mail. If you 
wish to receive confirmation that FTA received your comments, you must 
include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments 
received will be posted without change to the Department's Docket 
Management System (DMS) Web site located at http://dms.dot.gov. This 
means that if your comment includes any personal identifying 
information, such information will be made available to users of DMS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Fisher, Office of Planning and 
Environment, telephone (202) 366-4033, Federal Transit Administration, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    On August 10, 2005, President Bush signed the Safe, Accountable, 
Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users 
(SAFETEA-LU). Section 3011 of SAFETEA-LU made a number of changes to 49 
U.S.C. 5309, which authorizes the FTA's fixed guideway capital 
investment program known as ``New Starts.'' This notice announces the 
availability of FTA's Guidance on New Starts Policies and Procedures 
and requests your comment as described below. The document is available 
in the docket, which can be accessed by going to http://dms.dot.gov at 
any time, or you can view the document on FTA's Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/15052_ENG_HTML.htm.

A. New Starts Program Changes To Be Effective April 30, 2006

    The first purpose of the policy guidance is to solicit comments on 
and document the changes to FTA's New Starts project development and 
program management procedures that are proposed to become effective on 
April 30, 2006. The changes apply to all New Starts submittals received 
after that date and prior to the effective date of future New Starts 
rulemaking. The proposed improvements to the project review and 
evaluation process and criteria include: National Environmental Policy 
Act interfaces; preservation of information for the before and after 
study; certification of technical methods, planning assumptions and 
project development procedures; development of costs and ridership 
forecasts; project development agreements; setting the New Starts 
maximum dollar funding level at the time of final design approval; and 
use of mode specific constants. Comments received will be used to 
develop the New Starts ratings, evaluations and procedures which will 
be issued in Spring 2006. FTA will respond to comments received on this 
Notice in a second Federal Register notice to be published after the 
close of the comment period, which will announce the availability of 
the Reporting Instructions for the Section 5309 New Starts Criteria 
reflecting the changes implemented as a result of this policy guidance 
and comments received thereon.

[[Page 3150]]

B. Long-term New Starts Program Changes for Future Rulemaking

    The second purpose of the policy guidance is to discuss various New 
Starts implementation issues relating to SAFETEA-LU, discuss the merits 
of alternative approaches, and solicit input, through a series of 
questions, on the options that FTA is considering. Issues discussed 
include project eligibility; project evaluation and ratings; and 
project development procedures. Comments received will be considered 
and addressed in future rulemaking for the New Starts program, which 
FTA hopes to initiate later in 2006.

    Issued in Washington, DC, this 12th day of January 2006.
David B. Horner,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. E6-563 Filed 1-18-06; 8:45 am]
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