[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52109-52110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18278]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA 2022-0026]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Public 
Transportation Emergency Relief Program

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, Department of Transportation.

[[Page 52110]]


ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the extension of a currently approved information collection: Public 
Transportation Emergency Relief Program.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before October 24, 2022.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once 
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by 
only one of the following methods:
    1. Website: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. 
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic 
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic 
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site 
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below 
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
    2. Fax: 202-366-7951.
    3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of 
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note 
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be 
posted and will be available to internet users, without change, to 
www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000, (65 FR 
19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access to the 
docket to read background documents and comments received, go to 
www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments 
received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Wilson, Office of Program 
Management (202) 366-5279 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) the necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to 
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the 
collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of 
this information collection.

Title: Public Transportation Emergency Relief Program

(OMB Number: 2132-0575)

    Background: Since the authorization of the Public Transportation 
Emergency Relief Program in 2012, Congress has appropriated funds three 
times for transit agencies affected by disaster.
    The first appropriation of funds for the program was in 2013 
following Hurricane Sandy, for which the President declared a major 
disaster for areas of 12 States and the District of Columbia. Under the 
Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 113-2), Congress provided 
$10.9 billion for FTA's Emergency Relief Program for recovery, relief, 
and resilience efforts in the counties specified in the disaster 
declaration. Approximately $10.0 billion remained available after 
implementation of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-25) and after intergovernmental transfers to other 
bureaus and offices within DOT. FTA has allocated the full amount in 
multiple tiers for response, recovery and rebuilding; for locally 
prioritized resilience projects, and for competitively selected 
resilience projects.
    The second appropriation of funds for the Emergency Relief Program 
was in 2018 following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, for which the 
President declared major disasters in areas of Florida, Georgia, 
Louisiana, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-123), 
Congress provided $330 million for FTA's Emergency Relief Program for 
transit systems affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. On May 
31, 2018 FTA allocated $277.5 million for response, recovery, 
rebuilding, and resilience projects.
    The third appropriation of funds for the Emergency Relief Program 
was in 2019. Under the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for 
Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-20), Congress appropriated 
$10.5 million for FTA's Emergency Relief Program for transit systems 
affected by major declared disasters occurring in calendar year 2018.
    On March 13, 2020, FTA announced that expanded eligibility of 
Federal assistance is available under FTA's Emergency Relief Program to 
help transit agencies respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) in states 
where the Governor has declared an emergency. This includes allowing 
all transit providers, including those in large urban areas, to use 
Federal formula funds for emergency-related capital and operating 
expenses, and raises the cap on the Federal government's share of those 
expenses.
    Respondents: States, local governmental authorities, Indian tribes 
and other FTA recipients impacted by Hurricane Sandy which affected 
mid-Atlantic and northeastern states in October 2012; Hurricane Harvey 
which affected areas of Texas and Louisiana in August 2017; and 
Hurricanes Irma and Maria which affected the southeastern states and 
the territories of the Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 
September 2017, and by major declared disasters occurring in calendar 
year 2018.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 26.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 4,680 hours.
    Frequency: Annually.

Nadine Pembleton,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-18278 Filed 8-23-22; 8:45 am]
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