[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 241 (Monday, December 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 76096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29531]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Informational Meeting Regarding Applications for 
SAFETEA-LU Magnetic Levitation Project Selection

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of informational meeting concerning applications for 
grants to existing magnetic levitation (maglev) projects located east 
of the Mississippi River.

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SUMMARY: On October 16, 2008, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
published a Notice of Funds Availability in the Federal Register. (FR 
Vol. 73, No. 201/Thursday October 16, 2008, pg 61449) In that Notice, 
FRA solicited applications from eligible applicants for $45 million 
authorized by section 1307 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) 
for preconstruction activities and capital costs of fixed guideway 
infrastructure of maglev projects east of the Mississippi River. (That 
notice and this notice do not apply to the maglev project between Las 
Vegas and Primm, NV.) Based upon the Joint Explanatory Statement of the 
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate 
Environmental and Public Works Committee, and the Senate Committee on 
Commerce, Science and Transportation, Congress explained its intent 
``to limit the eligible projects to three existing projects east of the 
Mississippi River: Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington, and Atlanta-
Chattanooga.''
    Proponents of eligible projects have requested meetings with FRA to 
clarify the application requirements. Because of the competitive nature 
of the application process, FRA will hold an open meeting where 
interested proponents of any of these three projects might discuss 
application requirements with FRA, in a forum that will permit 
proponents of all eligible projects to benefit from these discussions. 
All questions and responses will be available in summary form on FRA's 
Web site after the meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday December 17, 2008, between 
9:30 and 11 a.m., in room 7 of the first floor conference center in the 
west building of the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters, 
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590. To expedite clearance 
through building security, persons interested in attending must notify 
FRA at the point of contact below of their intent to attend by close of 
business Tuesday, December 16. Persons unable to attend with questions 
concerning the application process may submit these questions via email 
to the contact identified below.
    To Express Intent to Attend the Meeting, or to Submit Questions to 
be Addressed at the Meeting, Contact: Rachell Macklin, Office of 
Railroad Development (RDV-13), Federal Railroad Administration at 
[email protected] or by phone at (202) 493-6340 or by fax at 
(202) 493-6330.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Montague, Chief, Program 
Implementation Division, Office of Railroad Development, Federal 
Railroad Administration at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 
493-6381 or by fax at (202) 493-6330.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 8, 2008.
Mark E. Yachmetz,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-29531 Filed 12-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P