52290 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 179 / Monday, September 20, 2021 / Notices 

5. Historic and Cultural Resources: 

Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended 

[16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]; Archeological 

Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 

U.S.C. 470(aa)–11]; Archeological and 

Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 

469–469(c)]; Native American Grave 

Protection and Repatriation Act 

(NAGPRA) [25 U.S.C. 3001–3013]. 

6. Social and Economic: Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000(d)– 

2000(d)(1)]; American Indian Religious 

Freedom Act [42 U.S.C. 1996]; Farmland 

Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 

4201–4209]. 

7. Wetlands and Water Resources: 

Land and Water Conservation Fund 

(LWCF) [16 U.S.C. 4601–4604]; Safe 

Drinking Water Act (SDWA) [42 U.S.C. 

300(f)–300(j)(6)]; Rivers and Harbors Act 

of 1899 [33 U.S.C. 401–406]; Wild and 

Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271– 

1287]; Emergency Wetlands Resources 

Act [16 U.S.C. 3921, 3931]; Flood 

Disaster Protection Act [42 U.S.C. 4001– 

4128]. 

8. Water: Clean Water Act 33 U.S.C. 

1251–1387. 

9. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990 

Protection of Wetlands; E.O. 11988 

Floodplain Management; E.O. 12898, 

Federal Actions to Address 

Environmental Justice in Minority 

Populations and Low Income 

Populations; E.O. 11593 Protection and 

Enhancement of Cultural Resources; 

E.O. 13007 Indian Sacred Sites; E.O. 

13287 Preserve America; E.O. 13175 

Consultation and Coordination with 

Indian Tribal Governments; E.O. 11514 

Protection and Enhancement of 

Environmental Quality; E.O. 13112 

Invasive Species. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning 

and Construction.) 

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). 

Issued on: September 13, 2021. 

Karla S. Petty, 

Arizona Division Administrator, Phoenix, 

Arizona. 

[FR Doc. 2021–20131 Filed 9–17–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–RY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket No. FRA–2021–0082] 

Draft General Conformity 

Determination for the California HighSpeed Rail System Burbank to Los 

Angeles Section 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice; request for comment. 

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing this notice to 

advise the public that a draft General 

Conformity Determination for the 

Burbank to Los Angeles Section of the 

California High-Speed Rail (HSR) 

System is available for public and 

agency review and comment. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before October 20, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Comments related to Docket 

No. FRA–2021–0082 may be submitted 

by going to http://www.regulations.gov 

and following the online instructions for 

submitting comments. 

Instructions: All submissions must 

include the agency name and docket 

number (FRA–2021–0082). All 

comments received will be posted 

without change to https://

www.regulations.gov; this includes any 

personal information. Please see the 

Privacy Act Statement heading in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this document for Privacy Act 

information related to any submitted 

comments or materials. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read the draft General Conformity 

Determination, background documents, 

or comments received, go to https://

www.regulations.gov and follow the 

online instructions for accessing the 

docket. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andre ́a Martin, Senior Environmental 

Protection Specialist, Office of Railroad 

Policy and Development (RPD), 

telephone: (202) 493–6201, email: 

Andrea.Martin@dot.gov; or Marlys 

Osterhues, Chief Environment and 

Corridor Planning, RPD, telephone: 

(202) 493–0413, email: 

Marlys.Osterhues@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Privacy Act Statement: FRA will post 

comments it receives, without edit, to 

www.regulations.gov, as described in 

the system of records notice, DOT/ALL– 

14 FDMS, accessible through 

www.dot.gov/privacy. To facilitate 

comment tracking and response, we 

encourage commenters to provide their 

name, or the name of their organization; 

however, inclusion of names is 

completely optional. Whether 

commenters identify themselves or not, 

all timely comments will be fully 

considered. If you wish to provide 

comments containing proprietary or 

confidential information, please contact 

the agency for alternate submission 

instructions. 

Background: The California HighSpeed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is 

advancing the environmental review of 

the Burbank to Los Angeles Section 

(Project) of the California HSR System 

pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327, under which 

it has assumed FRA’s environmental 

review responsibilities. However, under 

Section 327, FRA remains responsible 

for making General Conformity 

Determinations under the Clean Air Act. 

This draft General Conformity 

Determination documents FRA’s 

evaluation of the Burbank to Los 

Angeles Section, consistent with the 

relevant section of the Clean Air Act 

and its implementing regulations. 

FRA’s analysis of the Project’s 

potential emissions, completed in close 

collaboration with CHSRA and 

informed by CHSRA’s coordination with 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

South Coast Air Quality Management 

District (SCAQMD) and the California 

Air Resources Board, found that Projectgenerated emissions will either be offset 

for its construction phase, or will be less 

than zero for its operational phase; and 

therefore, the Action’s emissions can be 

accommodated in the Statewide 

Implementation Plan (SIP) for the South 

Coast Air Basin. FRA concludes that the 

Project, as designed, will conform to the 

approved SIP, based on a commitment 

from the CHSRA that constructionphase NOX emissions will be offset 

consistent with the applicable federal 

regulations in the SCAQMD. 

Next Steps 

The draft General Conformity 

Determination for the California HighSpeed Rail System, Burbank to Los 

Angeles Section is being issued for 

public review and comment for 30-days 

at Docket No. FRA–2021–0082. 

Comments related to Docket No. FRA– 

2021–0082 may be submitted by going 

to http://www.regulations.gov and 

following the online instructions for 

submitting comments. Although CHSRA 

is assisting FRA by disseminating notice 

of the availability of the draft General 

Conformity Determination through its 

usual outreach methods, CHSRA is not 

accepting comments on behalf of FRA. 

FRA cannot ensure consideration of any 

comment that is not submitted via 

http://www.regulations.gov. FRA will 

consider all relevant comments it 

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 179 / Monday, September 20, 2021 / Notices 52291 

receives before issuing a final General 

Conformity Determination. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Jamie P. Rennert, 

Director, Office of Infrastructure Investment, 

Federal Railroad Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2021–20192 Filed 9–17–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

Fiscal Year 2021 Competitive Funding 

Opportunity; Grants for Buses and Bus 

Facilities Program 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity 

(NOFO). 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) announces the 

opportunity to apply for approximately 

$409.59 million in fiscal year (FY) 2021 

funds under the Grants for Buses and 

Bus Facilities Program (Federal 

Assistance Listing #20.526). As required 

by Federal public transportation law 

and subject to funding availability, 

funds will be awarded competitively to 

assist in the financing of capital projects 

to replace, rehabilitate, purchase or 

lease buses and related equipment, and 

to rehabilitate, purchase, construct or 

lease bus-related facilities. Projects may 

include costs incidental to the 

acquisition of buses or to the 

construction of facilities, such as the 

costs of related workforce development 

and training activities, and project 

administration expenses. FTA may 

award additional funds if they are made 

available to the program prior to the 

announcement of project selections. 

DATES: Complete proposals must be 

submitted electronically through the 

GRANTS.GOV ‘‘APPLY’’ function by 

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 

19, 2021. Prospective applicants should 

initiate the process by promptly 

registering on the GRANTS.GOV 

website to ensure completion of the 

application process before the 

submission deadline. Instructions for 

applying can be found on FTA’s website 

at http://transit.dot.gov/howtoapply and 

in the ‘‘FIND’’ module of 

GRANTS.GOV. The GRANTS.GOV 

funding opportunity ID is FTA 2021– 

008–TPM–Bus. Mail and fax 

submissions will not be accepted. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Wilson, FTA Office of Program 

Management, 202–366–5279, or 

thomas.wilson@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

A. Program Description 

B. Federal Award Information 

C. Eligibility Information 

D. Application and Submission Information 

E. Application Review Information 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

H. Other Information 

A. Program Description 

Federal public transportation law (49 

U.S.C. 5339(b)) authorizes FTA to award 

grants for the Grants for Buses and Bus 

Facilities Program through a 

competitive process, as described in this 

notice. Grants under this program are 

for capital projects to replace, 

rehabilitate, purchase, or lease buses 

and related equipment, or to 

rehabilitate, purchase, construct, or 

lease bus-related facilities. 

FTA will evaluate projects based on 

how they will address significant repair 

and maintenance needs and improve the 

safety of transit systems through timely 

and efficient investment in public 

transportation. FTA may prioritize 

projects that support FTA’s strategic 

goals and objectives. 

This program supports President 

Biden’s Build Back Better initiative to 

mobilize American ingenuity to build a 

modern infrastructure and an equitable, 

clean energy future. In addition, this 

NOFO will advance the goals of the 

President’s January 27, 2021, Executive 

Order 14008, Tackling the Climate 

Crisis at Home and Abroad, and has the 

potential to enhance environmental 

stewardship and community 

partnerships, consistent with the goals 

of Executive Order 13985, Advancing 

Racial Equity and Support for 

Underserved Communities Through the 

Federal Government. 

B. Federal Award Information 

Federal public transportation law (49 

U.S.C. 5338(a)(2)(M)) authorizes 

$289,044,179 in FY 2021 funds for the 

Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities 

Program. The Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2021, appropriated 

an additional $125,000,000 for the 

Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities 

Program. After the mandatory oversight 

takedown of $4,455,331, FTA is 

announcing the availability of 

$409,588,848 for the Grants for Buses 

and Bus Facilities Program through this 

notice. In FY 2020, the program 

received applications for 282 projects 

requesting a total of $1.8 billion. Ninetysix projects were funded at a total of 

$464 million. 

As required by Federal public 

transportation law at 49 U.S.C. 

5339(b)(5), a minimum of 10 percent of 

the amount awarded under the Grants 

for Buses and Bus Facilities Program 

will be awarded to projects located in 

rural areas. As required by 49 U.S.C. 

5339(b)(8), no single grant recipient will 

be awarded more than 10 percent of the 

amount made available. FTA may 

further cap the amount a single 

recipient or State may receive as part of 

the selection process. There is no 

minimum grant award amount. FTA 

intends to fund as many meritorious 

projects as possible. 

C. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants 

Eligible applicants include designated 

recipients that allocate funds to fixed 

route bus operators, States or local 

governmental entities that operate fixed 

route bus service, and Indian tribes. 

Eligible subrecipients include all 

otherwise eligible applicants and also 

private nonprofit organizations engaged 

in public transportation. 

States may submit a statewide 

application on behalf of public agencies 

or private nonprofit organizations 

engaged in public transportation in rural 

areas or for other areas to which a State 

allocates funds. Except for projects 

proposed by Indian tribes, all proposals 

for projects in rural (non-urbanized) 

areas must be submitted by a State, 

either individually or as a part of a 

statewide application. States and other 

eligible applicants also may submit 

consolidated proposals for projects in 

urbanized areas. The submission of a 

statewide or consolidated urbanized 

area application shall not preclude the 

submission and consideration of any 

application from other eligible 

recipients in an urbanized area in a 

State. Proposals may contain projects to 

be implemented by the recipient or its 

subrecipients. 

To be considered eligible, applicants 

must be able to demonstrate the 

requisite legal, financial, and technical 

capabilities to receive and administer 

Federal funds under this program. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching 

The maximum Federal share for 

projects selected under the Grants for 

Buses and Bus Facilities Program is 80 

percent of the net project cost (i.e., the 

non-Federal amount must be at least 20 

percent of the net project cost, not 20 

percent of the requested grant amount), 

unless any of the following exceptions 

applies: 

The maximum Federal share is 85 

percent of the net project cost of