[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 154 (Thursday, August 9, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39505-39507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17032]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Program Guidance for Metropolitan Planning Program and State 
Planning and Research Program Grants: Availability of Final Circular

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of availability of final circular.

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SUMMARY: The FTA has placed on its website final guidance in the form 
of FTA Circular 8100.1D, ``Program Guidance For Metropolitan Planning 
and State Planning and Research Program Grants.'' The final circular 
updates the Circular 8100.1C, ``Program Guidance For Metropolitan 
Planning and State Planning and Research Program Grants,'' to reflect 
various changes in law and to incorporate provisions of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards.

DATES: September 10, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Austin, Office of Planning and

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Environment (TPE), Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, phone: 202-366-2996, or email [email protected]. 
Legal questions may be addressed to Helen Serassio, Office of Chief 
Counsel (TCC), Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, phone: 202-366-1974, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Availability of Final Circular

    You may download an electronic copy of the circular from FTA's 
website at http://www.transit.dot.gov. Paper copies of the circular may 
be obtained by calling FTA's Administrative Services Help Desk at 202-
366-4865.

Table of Contents

I. Overview
II. Updates to Circular 8100.1
    A. Chapter I--Introduction and Background
    B. Chapter II--Metropolitan Planning Program
    C. Chapter III--State Planning and Research Programs
    D. Chapter IV--Consolidated Planning Grants
    E. Chapter V--Application Instructions
    F. Appendices

I. Overview

    FTA is updating its Program Guidance for Metropolitan Planning and 
State Planning and Research Program Grants Circular (Circular) to 
incorporate changes to FTA's programs resulting from enactment of FTA's 
most recent authorizing legislation, the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L. 114-94, Dec. 4, 2015), as well as 
the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) (Pub. L. 
112-141, July 6, 2012); promulgation of Department of Transportation 
(DOT) regulations, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards,'' at 2 CFR part 
1201, as well as ``Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation 
Planning; Metropolitan Transportation Planning,'' at 23 CFR part 450; 
and changes in terms as used in FTA's new electronic award and 
application system, the Transit Award and Management System (TrAMS).
    On December 26, 2014, DOT adopted the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) regulatory guidance, ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards'' (Uniform Guidance), 2 CFR part 200, now incorporated by 
reference in DOT regulations, 2 CFR part 1201. The Uniform Guidance 
streamlines and adds to the guidance formerly found in eight OMB 
circulars, which have been superseded by 2 CFR part 200. While 2 CFR 
part 1201 adopts most of the Uniform Guidance, part 1201 does contain 
several DOT-specific provisions.
    DOT regulations, 2 CFR part 1201, apply to any FTA award and any 
amendments thereto signed by an authorized FTA official on or after 
December 26, 2014. These regulations supersede 49 CFR part 18, 
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements to State and Local Governments,'' and 49 CFR part 19, 
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with 
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit 
Organizations,'' except that grants and cooperative agreements executed 
before December 26, 2014, continue to be subject to 49 CFR parts 18 and 
19 as in effect on the date of such grants or agreements.
    MAP-21 established a performance-based management approach to the 
statewide and metropolitan transportation planning process to ensure 
the most efficient investment of Federal transportation funds. Although 
MAP-21 made several changes to the planning process, the legislation 
did not make substantive changes to the eligibilities for the 
Metropolitan Planning Program (MPP). MAP-21 did change the 
eligibilities of the State Planning and Research Program (SPRP) to 
include only funds for grants and contracts to carry out 49 U.S.C. 
5304, 5305, and 5306.
    Sections 5303 and 5304, as amended by the FAST Act, require 
metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and States to develop 
transportation plans and transportation improvement programs through a 
performance-driven, outcome-based approach to planning. Under the FAST 
Act, MPOs continue to develop Unified Planning Work Programs, 
Metropolitan Transportation Plans, Transportation Improvement Programs, 
and Public Participation Plans.
    On May 27, 2016, FTA and FHWA published in the Federal Register the 
Final Rule on Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning; 
Metropolitan Transportation Planning (81 FR 34049), 23 CFR part 450, to 
implement the changes to the planning process established by MAP-21 and 
the FAST Act. This Circular uses the joint regulations at 23 CFR part 
450 as the foundation for its program guidance.
    In addition to addressing changes to Federal law, the final 
Circular reflects terminology changes for consistency with FTA's new 
electronic award and management system, TrAMS.
    This notice provides a summary of changes to FTA Circular 8100.1, 
``Program Guidance for Metropolitan Planning and State Planning and 
Research Program Grants.'' Given that this update reflects existing 
statute and regulations developed with notice and comment, contains no 
additional interpretation of statute or regulations, and imposes no new 
requirements on grantees, FTA is not soliciting public comments. The 
final Circular 8100.1D becomes effective on September 10, 2018 and 
supersedes Circular 8100.1C.

II. Updates to Circular 8100.1

A. Chapter I--Introduction and Background

    Chapter I covers general information regarding FTA, FTA's 
authorizing legislation, Grants.gov, and how to contact FTA; this 
chapter also includes definitions and acronyms used in the Circular. In 
Section 5, FTA added and amended numerous definitions and acronyms to 
be consistent with other FTA circulars, 49 U.S.C. chapter 53 as amended 
by the FAST Act and MAP-21, the Uniform Guidance, and TrAMS. For 
example, TEAM references are replaced by TrAMS references throughout 
the document. In Section 6, FTA added programmatic changes triggered by 
MAP-21 and the FAST Act, discussing the performance-based management 
approach to the statewide and metropolitan transportation planning 
process.

B. Chapter II--Metropolitan Planning Program

    Chapter II provides an overview of the entire MPP with regard to 
its statutory authority and program goals. It defines the role of the 
individual States, MPOs, and FTA, and explains the program's 
relationship to other FTA funded programs. The chapter also provides 
information on eligible planning activities, steps required in 
developing a Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), the MPP assistance 
formula and notification, the grant agreement, and the administration 
of MPP grants. In Section 1, FTA added a suggestion that to the extent 
possible, a single agreement among all responsible parties should be 
developed. In Section 2, eligible grant activities under the MPP, FTA 
added ``studies relating to . . . performance-based planning, safety, 
and transit asset management,'' ``developing and updating the 
metropolitan planning agreements between the MPO, the State(s), and the 
providers of public

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transportation serving the metropolitan planning area,'' and ``peer 
reviews and exchanges of . . . performance-based planning.'' FTA 
removed ``arts and artistic design'' from the list of eligible grant 
activities to comply with 49 U.S.C. 5323, as amended by the FAST Act. 
In Section 4, FTA reordered subsections identifying the components of a 
UPWP. In Section 9, FTA added programs created by MAP-21 and the FAST 
Act, and removed references to programs repealed by MAP-21 and the FAST 
Act.

C. Chapter III--State Planning and Research Program

    Chapter III provides an overview of the SPRP in terms of its 
statutory authority and program goals, and explains the program's 
relationship to and coordination with other FTA-funded programs. The 
chapter also defines the role of the individual States and FTA, and 
provides information on eligible grant activities, SPRP assistance 
formula and notification, and State planning activities. In Section 2, 
FTA removed ``training and educational activities'' and ``human 
resource program activities'' from the list of eligible grant 
activities for the SPRP because the statutory basis for their 
eligibility was removed by MAP-21. In Section 5, FTA added programs 
created by MAP-21 and the FAST Act, and removed references to programs 
repealed by MAP-21 and the FAST Act.

D. Chapter IV--Consolidated Planning Grants

    Chapter IV provides information on the Consolidated Planning Grant 
(CPG) Program, a program administered by FTA and FHWA. The CPG Program 
allows FTA and FHWA funding that supports metropolitan and statewide 
transportation planning to be combined into a single consolidated 
grant, which fosters a cooperative effort between the Federal agencies 
and the participating States to streamline the delivery of their 
planning programs by providing the flexibility to transfer the planning 
funds to either FTA or FHWA for processing. In Section 1, FTA clarified 
that FTA funds used for metropolitan planning in a CPG are allowed to 
have the same match ratio as the FHWA Metropolitan Planning funds.

E. Chapter V--Application Instructions

    Chapter V details the application process of MPOs and States that 
apply for and receive funds from MPP and SPRP grants. FTA made no 
substantive changes to this chapter.

F. Appendices

    FTA made minor, clarifying edits to the appendices.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
K. Jane Williams,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-17032 Filed 8-8-18; 8:45 am]
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