This is a voluntary reporting
collection open to all Railroads and local and state governments,
and is used for administering the FRA Grants Management Program.
Frequency of reporting varies depending upon the stage of the grant
process (award, maintenance or close out). All reporting is
directed to FRA when submitted. This is a revision to a currently
approved collection. The purpose of the program: FRA solicits grant
applications for viable projects including, but not limited to,
preconstruction planning activities, safety improvements,
congestion relief, improvement of grade crossings, rail line
relocation, as well as projects that encourage development,
expansion, and upgrades to passenger and freight rail
infrastructure and services. Funded projects are those that meet
FRA and government wide evaluation standards and align with the
President’s key strategic transportation goals to create safe and
efficient transportation choices, build a foundation for economic
competitiveness, promote energy efficiency and environmental
quality, and support interconnected livable communities. FRA
administers award agreements for both construction and
non-construction projects that will result in service benefits or
other tangible improvements in rail corridors. These projects
include completion of preliminary engineering, environmental
research and development, final design, and construction.
PL:
Pub.L. 109 - 59 9002 Name of Law: SAFETEA-LU
PL:
Pub.L. 110 - 432 105 Name of Law: Rail Safety Improvement Act
of 2008
PL:
Pub.L. 111 - 5 12 Name of Law: American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009
PL:
Pub.L. 110 - 329 10 Name of Law: The Consolidated Security,
Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009
This is a revision to a current
collection of information. The current OMB inventory for this
information collection shows a total burden of 31,811 hours and
6,570 responses while the requesting inventory estimates a total
burden of 21,173 hours and 4,762 responses. Program change
decreased the burden by 8,470 hours and responses by 165.
Adjustments decreased the burden by 2,168 hours and responses by
1,643. Overall, the burden for this submission has decreased by
10,638 hours and responses by 1,808. Specifically, FRA is proposing
to add FRA F 6180.288, titled, Pre-Award Authority Request Form.
Additionally, FRA will discontinue the use of FRA F 6180.35 Grant
Application Form as this form has not been used in several years,
and applicants are primarily using the SF-424 Application for
Federal Assistance to submit their applications. Discontinued use
of FRA F 6180.35 will eliminate unnecessary and duplicative burden
for applicants.
With this submission FRA is also correcting
the previously reported burden hours for use of the SF forms that
are used as part of the FRA Grants program. The burden hours
associated with the use of common forms by FRA should be reflected
under the Host agencies OMB control number. In previous submissions
FRA was incorrectly reflecting this burden as part of ICR 2130-0615
Grants and Awards. To correct this, the previously reported burden
hours for all SF forms have been removed from this submission and
FRA action will be taken to reflect these burden hours under the
Host Agency.
Agency/Sub Agency
RCF ID
RCF Title
RCF Status
IC Title
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.