[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14986-14988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4325]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Availability of Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Grant 
Funds

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of Motor Carrier 
Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grant funding as authorized by the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). MCSAP is a Federal grant program that 
provides financial assistance to States to reduce the number and 
severity of crashes and hazardous materials incidents involving 
commercial motor vehicles (CMV). The goal of MCSAP is to reduce CMV-
involved crashes, fatalities, and injuries through consistent, uniform, 
and effective CMV safety programs.

DATES: Applications for Basic/Incentive grant funding should be sent to 
the FMCSA Division Office in the State where the applicant is located 
no later than August 1 of each year. Applications for FY2006 High 
Priority grant funds or New Entrant Safety Audit funds must be 
submitted to the FMCSA Division Office in the State where the applicant 
is located no later than April 28, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael J. Lamm, Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration, Office of Safety Programs, State 
Programs Division (MC-ESS), (202) 366-6830, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ET, 
Monday through Friday except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 4101 of SAFETEA-LU (Pub. L. 109-59, August 10, 2005, 119 
Stat. 1144) amends 49 U.S.C. 31104(a) and reauthorizes the FMCSA Motor 
Carrier Safety Grants funding for FY2006 through FY2009. The authorized 
level of funding for MCSAP is $188,000,000 for FY2006, which includes 
up to $15,000,000 for High Priority grants and up to $29,000,000 for 
New Entrant Safety Audits grants. Funding is subject to reductions 
resulting from obligation limitations or rescissions as specified in 
SAFETEA-LU or other legislation.

MCSAP Basic and Incentive Funds

    All 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, 
Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible to receive MCSAP Basic 
funding grants directly from FMCSA. Basic funds are distributed by 
formula as outlined in 49 CFR 350.323. Incentive funds may be 
distributed to all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico based upon the safety and program 
performance factors found in 49 CFR 350.327. The Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, American

[[Page 14987]]

Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are ineligible for Incentive 
funding grants. The Federal share of Basic and Incentive funds is 
established at 80 percent for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, 
and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Federal share of Basic funds 
is established at 100 percent for the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
Funds remain available for expenditure in the State for the fiscal year 
in which they are allocated and for the next full fiscal year.

High Priority Grants

    MCSAP High Priority funds are generally provided by FMCSA to 
support, enrich, or evaluate State CMV safety programs and to 
accomplish the following five objectives:
     Implement, promote, and maintain national programs to 
improve CMV safety;
     Increase compliance with CMV safety regulations;
     Increase public awareness concerning CMV safety;
     Provide education on CMV safety and related issues; and
     Demonstrate new safety-related technologies.
    These funds will be allocated, at the discretion of FMCSA, to State 
agencies, local governments, and organizations representing government 
agencies or officials that use and train qualified officers and 
employees in coordination with State motor vehicle safety agencies. 
Section 4107 of SAFETEA-LU requires at least 90 percent of available 
funding be awarded to State or local government agencies. The Federal 
share of these funds is established at 80 percent except that the 
Federal share is established at 100 percent for public education 
activities.

New Entrant Grants

    States and local governments are eligible to apply for and receive 
New Entrant funds to conduct New Entrant Safety Audits as required by 
49 CFR part 385, subpart D. The safety audit consists of a review of 
both the new entrant's safety management systems as well as a sample of 
required records to assess its compliance with the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations, applicable Hazardous Materials Regulations, 
and related recordkeeping requirements. These funds will be 
administered at the discretion of FMCSA. The Federal share of these 
funds is established at 100 percent.
    Additional information on MCSAP and the application process is 
available from the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 
website at www.cfda.gov. MCSAP is listed as CFDA number 20.218-National 
Motor Carrier Safety.

Application and Selection Process

Basic/Incentive Grants

    The State lead agency, designated by the Governor, must submit an 
application (MCSAP-1) to the Division Administrator of the FMCSA 
Division Office in the State where the applicant is located no later 
than August 1 of each year. In addition to the application, the 
application package must include a Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan 
(CVSP) that covers all items listed in 49 CFR 350.213.
    Upon receipt, the application will be reviewed by FMCSA. Funds will 
be allocated based upon FMCSA's approval of the application. For a 
State to receive funding, the CVSP must be complete and include all 
required documents. Applicants approved for funding will be required to 
enter into a grant agreement with FMCSA, which will be executed by a 
Division Administrator on behalf of the Agency.

High Priority Grants

    High Priority funding is available to State agencies, local 
governments, and organizations representing government agencies or 
officials that use and train qualified officers and employees in 
coordination with State motor vehicle safety agencies. This funding 
will be administered at the discretion of FMCSA. The Federal share for 
these funds is established at 80 percent except for public education 
activities which are established at 100 percent Federal share.
    States may use High Priority funds to comply with the requirements 
of section 4106 of SAFETEA-LU, which requires States to conduct 
comprehensive and highly visible traffic enforcement and commercial 
vehicle safety inspection programs in high risk locations and 
corridors. These projects may be similar in scope to the Ticketing 
Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) pilot program that is currently 
underway in the State of Washington. TACT uses three principles--
communications, enforcement, and evaluation--in an effort to decrease 
the unsafe driving practices of commercial and noncommercial drivers 
and to raise the awareness of the enforcement activity and the campaign 
message. Since the TACT project has not yet been fully evaluated, a 
State seeking to initiate a similar activity will need to develop its 
own high visibility traffic enforcement program and submit the program 
along with its High Priority application and funding proposal to FMCSA.
    The applicant may submit an electronic application package through 
grants.gov. To apply using this method, the applicant must first 
register with grants.gov by going to http://www.grants.gov/GetStartedRoles?type+aor type+aor. Then, the applicant must download, complete, 
and submit the grant application package by going to http://www.grants.gov/Apply?campaignid+tabnavtracking081105 tabnavtracking081105. 
    As an alternative to the grants.gov process, the applicant may 
submit a MCSAP-1 paper application to the Division Administrator of the 
FMCSA Division Office in the State in which the applicant is located.
    All applications must be received no later than April 28, 2006. In 
addition to the application, the application package must include a 
project proposal containing the following:
     Detailed budget,
     Scope of project,
     Purpose,
     Goals,
     Objectives,
     Implementation strategies,
     Performance measures, and
     Monitoring and evaluation plan.
    Upon receipt, the applications will be reviewed by FMCSA and 
prioritized for potential funding. The review will consider consistency 
with national priorities, performance with respect to previous year 
grant programs, FMCSA personnel recommendations, and other criteria 
that FMCSA deems appropriate. Applicants approved for funding will be 
required to enter into a grant agreement with FMCSA. A Division 
Administrator will execute the grant agreement with the applicant on 
behalf of FMCSA.
    If funds remain available after allocations are made for 
applications submitted by April 28, 2006, additional applications may 
be submitted and will be considered for funding until all available 
funds have been allocated.

New Entrant Grants

    The applicant must submit an application package electronically 
through grants.gov or submit a MCSAP-1 paper application no later than 
April 28, 2006 to the Division Administrator of the FMCSA Division 
Office in the State in which the applicant is located.
    In addition to the application, the application package must 
include a project proposal containing the following:
     Detailed budget,
     Scope of project,
     Purpose,
     Goals,

[[Page 14988]]

     Objectives,
     Implementation strategies,
     Performance measures, and
     Monitoring and evaluation plan.
    Upon receipt, the applications will be reviewed by FMCSA and 
prioritized for potential funding. Applicants approved for funding will 
be required to enter into a grant agreement with FMCSA. A Division 
Administrator will execute the grant agreement with the applicant on 
behalf of FMCSA.
    If funds remain available after allocations are made for 
applications submitted by April 28, 2006, additional applications may 
be submitted and will be considered for funding until all available 
funds have been allocated.
    A copy of the MCSAP-1 grant application form is available and can 
be downloaded from http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-initiatives/mcsap/mcsapforms.htm. 
    It is anticipated the grants.gov application process will be 
available for use by applicants applying for MCSAP New Entrant and High 
Priority grants by April 28, 2006.
    Addresses of the FMCSA Division Offices are available on the 
Internet at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/contact/offices/displayfieldroster.asp.

    Issued on: March 20, 2006.
Annette M. Sandberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-4325 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]
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