[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 16, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 50813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20851]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Major Capital Investment Projects; Guidance on News Starts/Small 
Starts Policies and Procedures

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice is intended to inform the public that no 
significant changes are proposed to the existing guidance on the New 
Starts and Small Starts programs. FTA is required by statute to publish 
policy guidance every two years on the New Starts and Small Starts 
programs. This notice serves to notify the public that FTA intends to 
continue use of existing guidance at this time.

DATES: Effective Date: This notification is effective August 16, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on the New or Small 
Starts program, contact Elizabeth Day, Office of Planning and 
Environment, telephone (202) 366-5159; for questions of a legal nature, 
contact Christopher Van Wyk, Office of Chief Counsel, (202) 366-1733. 
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 10, 2005, President Bush signed 
the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 110-244), which amends 49 U.S.C. 
5309. Section 5309(d)(6) of Title 49, U.S. Code, requires the Federal 
Transit Administration (FTA) to publish policy guidance on the New and 
Small Starts capital project review and evaluation process and criteria 
each time significant changes are made, but not less frequently than 
once every two years.
    FTA last published Guidance on New and Small Starts Policies and 
Procedures in September 2009. Thus, FTA is publishing today a notice 
that no significant changes are proposed to the New Starts and Small 
Starts review and evaluation process at this time. Information 
describing the current New and Small Starts review process can be found 
on FTA's Web site at http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/planning_environment_5221.html.
    This notification should not be confused with the Advanced Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) published by FTA in June 2010, which 
sought public comment on the New Starts and Small Starts project 
justification criteria. Information gathered from that ANPRM is being 
used to inform FTA's broader effort to amend the regulations that 
govern the New Starts and Small Starts programs.

    Issued on: August 10, 2011.
Peter Rogoff,
Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-20851 Filed 8-15-11; 8:45 am]
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