[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 216 (Thursday, November 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 66096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26477]



[[Page 66096]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Agency Request for Emergency Processing of Collections of 
Information Associated with Today's Publication of Solicitation of 
Applications and Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby gives notice 
that it has submitted the following information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Emergency 
Processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 
44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection 
of information identified below on or before November 21, 2008, for 180 
days after the date of approval by OMB. A copy of this ICR, with 
applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling FRA's 
Clearance Officers, Mr. Robert Brogan (tel. (202) 493-6292) or Ms. 
Nakia Jackson (tel. (202) 493-6073). These numbers are not toll-free. A 
copy of this ICR may also be obtained electronically by contacting Mr. 
Brogan at [email protected] or by contacting Ms. Jackson at 
[email protected]. Comments and questions about the ICR identified 
below should be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA), Attn: FRA OMB Desk Officer, 725 17th St., NW., 
Washington, DC 20503. Comments and questions about the ICR identified 
below may also be transmitted electronically to OIRA at [email protected].

DATES: Comments should be submitted as soon as possible upon 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Title: Notice of Funding Availability and Solicitation of 
Applications for Grants under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair 
Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-New.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Affected Public: 32 States.
    Form(s): SF-424.
    Other Instruments: Collection of Information Associated with the 
NOFA Published in Today's Federal Register.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 10.0 Grant Applications 
(Paper/Electronic).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,875 hours.
    Abstract: On September 30, 2008, President Bush signed Public Law 
110-329, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2009. As part of this Act, Congress provided $20 
million in disaster relief funds to FRA to award to States in one or 
more grants for eligible projects related to repair and rehabilitation 
of Class II and Class III railroad infrastructure damaged by 
hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters in counties for which 
the President declared a major disaster under title IV of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974. These 
funds are available for rehabilitation and repairs of railroad right-
of-way, bridges, signals, and other infrastructure which are part of 
the general railroad system of transportation and primarily used by 
railroads to move freight traffic. The Secretary may retain up to one-
half of 1 percent of these funds for the oversight of the design and 
implementation of projects funded by grants under this Program. Funds 
provided under this grant program may constitute no more than 80 
percent of the total cost of a selected project, with the remaining 
cost funded from other sources. The funding provided under these grants 
will be made available to grantees on a reimbursement basis. FRA 
anticipates awarding grants to multiple eligible participants. FRA may 
choose to award a grant or grants within the available funds in any 
amount. Funding made available through grants provided under this 
program, together with funding from other sources that is committed by 
a grantee as part of a grant agreement, must be sufficient to complete 
the funded project and achieve the anticipated rehabilitation and 
repairs to Class II and Class IIII railroads. FRA will begin accepting 
grant applications 10 days after publication of this Federal Register 
notice. Applications may be submitted until the earlier of December 31, 
2008, or the date on which all available funds will have been committed 
under this program.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 3, 2008.
D.J. Stadtler,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-26477 Filed 11-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P