This information collection (IC) request is for a three-year extension associated with a revision of a currently approved collection under OMB control number 2132-0502 â49 U.S.C. Section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program.â The revision is a new policy implemented by FTA that all grants of $2 million or less awarded to recipients located in urbanized areas over 200,000 in population, may be reported annually instead of quarterly, unless a specific risk is identified for that grant. FTAâs new policy reduces the number of Federal Financial Reports from 3,120 in the 2016 IC submission to 2,746 in the current submission (12% decrease in reporting requirements). There has been no other programmatic changes to this program since 2016. The response to the collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit, as the information is submitted to FTA to provide financial assistance to State and local governments and public transportation authorities for capital projects such as planning, engineering, design and evaluation of transit projects and other technical transportation-related studies; capital investments in bus and bus-related activities such as replacement, overhaul and rebuilding of buses, crime prevention and security equipment and construction of maintenance and passenger facilities; and capital investments in new and existing fixed guideway systems including rolling stock, overhaul and rebuilding of vehicles, track, signals, communications, and computer hardware and software. In addition, associated transit improvements and certain expenses associated with mobility management programs are eligible under the program. All preventive maintenance and some Americans with Disabilities Act complementary paratransit service costs are considered capital costs. Section 5307 also includes funding for passenger ferry system in urbanized areas. The recipients must apply to receive federal funds and then provide various reports (milestone and financial reports) as necessary to ensure the proper and timely expenditure of federal funds within the scope of the approved project. The applications and milestones are submitted on a yearly basis but financial milestone reports are submitted on a quarterly basis (unless they are under the $2 million threshold stated above).
The total burden for this request is 114,008 hours, a reduction of 2,992 hours from the previous request of 117,000 hours. The total number of respondents remains the same. The decrease is due to FTAâs effort to reduce reporting requirements. All grants of $2 million or less awarded to recipients located in urbanized areas over 200,000 in population, may be reported annually instead of quarterly, unless a specific risk is identified for that grant. In addition, the cost to respondents as well as the cost to the Federal government, has increased to reflect the current labor rates. There was no burden increase in this IC. FTA updated the IC submission in ROCIS to reflect the application stage and project management stage as three separate IC instruments. There was no increase in responses. There was actually a decrease from 6,240 in 2016 to 5,864 in 2019.
$565,219
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Tara Clark 202 366-2623
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.