49932 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2017 / Notices 

F. Change to Reporting Requirements 

for Non-Rail For-Profit Providers of 

Public Transportation 

FTA currently has 18 non-rail, forprofit providers of public transportation 

that report directly to the NTD. One of 

these reporters raised the concern that 

providing the detailed financial 

information required of full reporters to 

the NTD may compromise their ability 

to successfully compete for business. 

They requested that FTA consider 

reducing the financial reporting 

requirements for for-profit providers to 

mirror those of reduced reporters to 

address their concern. FTA is seeking 

comment on the proposal to allow nonrail, for-profit providers of public 

transportation the option to report to the 

NTD as a reduced reporter. Of the 18 

non-rail, for-profit providers referenced 

above, ten already meet the current 

reduced reporting threshold. This 

proposal would provide the flexibility 

to report as a reduced reporter for the 

remaining 8 agencies. 

As a reduced reporter, these agencies 

would no longer be required to report 

passenger miles traveled (PMT). Such 

data previously reported by these 

agencies would not be available for use 

in the Urbanized Area Formula (UAF) 

apportionment. If the local urbanized 

area has more than 200,000 in 

population, this may reduce their local 

urbanized area’s UAF apportionment. If 

the local urbanized area has fewer than 

200,000 in population, this may impact 

the local urbanized area’s eligibility for 

Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC) 

funds in the UAF apportionment. 

FTA would amend current reporting 

forms to allow ferry providers to 

continue to report fixed guideway 

directional route miles (DRM) or fixed 

guideway vehicle revenue miles (VRM) 

for continued use in the State of Good 

Repair Formula Apportionment. 

G. Clarification of Mechanical System 

Failures Definitions 

FTA has received feedback from the 

transit industry that the current 

definitions of major mechanical system 

failures and other mechanical system 

failures do not provide sufficient detail 

or clarity to allow for a useful analysis 

of the data. This information is 

currently collected from each agency by 

mode. The current definitions can be 

found in the 2017 NTD Policy Manual 

or the glossary on the NTD Web site: 

www.transit.dot.gov/ntd. Major 

mechanical system failures and other 

mechanical system failures are only 

reported by full reporters to the NTD; 

reduced reporters and capital asset-only 

reporters do not currently report these 

data. 

To improve current reporting 

guidance, FTA proposes adding 

language specifically excluding failures 

caused by collision, natural disaster, or 

vandalism to the current definitions. 

FTA seeks comment on this proposed 

change. The amended definitions are 

below: 

Proposed definition of major 

mechanical system failure: 

A failure of some mechanical element 

of the revenue vehicle that is not caused 

by a collision, natural disaster, or 

vandalism and prevents the vehicle 

from completing a scheduled revenue 

trip or from starting the next scheduled 

revenue trip because actual movement 

is limited or the vehicle is unsafe. 

Proposed definition of other 

mechanical system failure: 

A failure of some other mechanical 

element of the revenue vehicle that is 

not caused by a collision, natural 

disaster, or vandalism, but, because of 

local agency policy, prevents the 

revenue vehicle from completing a 

scheduled revenue trip or from starting 

the next scheduled revenue trip even 

though the vehicle is physically able to 

continue in revenue service. 

In addition to the proposed definition 

changes, FTA seeks additional feedback 

on the current utility of the major 

mechanical system failures and other 

mechanical system failures data points. 

As an example, one of the primary 

concerns expressed to FTA by 

stakeholders is that the current 

definition of other mechanical system 

failures cannot be used for comparative 

purposes because it is heavily 

dependent on local policy decisions. 

FTA would like to improve the utility 

of these data points to: (1) Inform transit 

stakeholders on mechanical 

performance; (2) allow for better 

comparative analysis of the data; and, 

(3) provide better insight on transit state 

of good repair. At this time, FTA is not 

formally proposing changes to these 

data points beyond the definition 

adjustments addressed above; however, 

two scenarios are outlined below. FTA 

welcomes input from stakeholders on 

these scenarios and welcomes 

additional direction on how these data 

points may be adjusted to best 

accomplish the stated goals. 

Input received from this notice may 

be used to inform a future proposal to 

adjust the definition or collection 

method of these data points. 

The scenarios described below are for 

public comment only. At this time, FTA 

is not formally proposing these changes. 

FTA seeks feedback on the following 

scenarios: 

(1) Collection of the major mechanical 

system failures by fleet rather than by 

mode. This would improve the 

granularity of the major mechanical 

systems failure data by collecting the 

information at the vehicle fleet level. It 

would provide a more robust and 

granular data set for major mechanical 

system failures and allow stakeholders 

to look at mechanical failure data by 

vehicle type. However, improving the 

granularity of the data could also 

increase the reporting burden for some 

agencies. To help offset this increase, 

FTA asks stakeholders to consider 

discontinuing the collection of other 

mechanical system failures. 

(2) Adjust the definition of other 

mechanical system failure to the 

following: All non-major failures of a 

mechanical element of the revenue 

vehicle requiring a work order that are 

not caused by a collision, natural 

disaster, or vandalism. 

This adjustment would provide a 

more standard and comprehensive look 

at the other mechanical system failures 

data. The new definition would allow 

for better comparison across transit 

agencies by focusing the outcome of this 

data point on a system failure rather 

than a local policy decision to remove 

the vehicle from service. 

In addition to the scenarios discussed 

above, FTA welcomes additional 

comment and input on how these data 

points may be adjusted to benefit the 

transit industry and transit stakeholders. 

FTA specifically requests that agencies 

provide comment on the anticipated 

impact on reporting burden for the 

scenarios above as well as the 

anticipated reporting burden for any 

additional suggestions provided to 

improve the utility of these data points. 

K. Jane Williams, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23380 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

[Docket No. FTA–2017–0014] 

Notice of Proposed Buy America 

Waiver for Motor Brakes and 

Machinery Brakes for the SE 3rd 

Avenue Bascule Bridge Modification in 

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, 

DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed Buy America 

waiver and request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) received a request 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2017 / Notices 49933 

from the Florida Department of 

Transportation (FDOT) for a Buy 

America non-availability waiver for the 

procurement of motor brakes and 

machinery brakes (collectively, ‘‘the 

brake units’’) for the SE 3rd Avenue 

Bascule Bridge Modification in Fort 

Lauderdale, Florida, as part of the Wave 

Streetcar project because there are no 

domestic manufacturers of the brake 

units. FTA is providing notice of the 

non-availability waiver request and 

seeks public comment before deciding 

whether to grant FDOT’s request. The 

size of the disc and drum brakes 

required for this bridge are not 

domestically available, and the Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA) 

granted FDOT waivers for this 

equipment for another project. FTA is 

providing notice of the waiver request 

and seeks public comment before 

deciding whether to grant the request. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

November 13, 2017. Late-filed 

comments will be considered to the 

extent practicable. 

ADDRESSES: Please identify your 

submission by Docket Number (FTA– 

2017–0008) through one of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

Submit electronic comments and other 

data to http://www.regulations.gov. 

• U.S. Mail: Send comments to 

Docket Operations; U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., West Building Room W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take 

comments to Docket Operations in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building, 

Ground Floor, at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 

9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

• Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, at (202) 493–2251. 

Instructions: You must include the 

agency name (Federal Transit 

Administration) and Docket Number 

(FTA–2017–0014) for this notice, at the 

beginning of your comments. If sent by 

mail, submit two copies of your 

comments. Due to security procedures 

in effect since October 2001, mail 

received through the U.S. Postal Service 

may be subject to delays. Parties 

submitting comments should consider 

using an express mail firm to ensure 

their prompt filing of any submissions 

not filed electronically or by hand. If 

you wish to receive confirmation that 

FTA received your comments, you must 

include a self-addressed stamped 

postcard. All comments received will be 

posted without change to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. You 

may review U.S. DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement published in the 

Federal Register on April 11, 2000, at 

65 FR 19477–8 or http://

DocketsInfo.dot.gov. 

Electronic Access and Filing: This 

document and all comments received 

may be viewed online through the 

Federal eRulemaking portal at http://

www.regulations.gov. Electronic 

submission and retrieval help and 

guidelines are available on the Web site. 

It is available 24 hours each day, 365 

days a year. Please follow the 

instructions. An electronic copy of this 

document may also be downloaded 

from the Office of the Federal Register’s 

home page at https://

www.federalregister.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Laura Ames, Attorney Advisor, at (202) 

366–2743 or Laura.Ames@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of this notice is to provide 

notice and seek comment on whether 

the FTA should grant a non-availability 

waiver for FDOT’s purchase of motor 

brakes and machinery brakes for the SE 

3rd Avenue Bascule Bridge 

Modification in Fort Lauderdale, 

Florida, as part of the Wave Streetcar 

project. The proposed Wave Streetcar 

project will serve downtown Fort 

Lauderdale, spanning the New River to 

connect the hospital and courthouse 

districts on the south side with the 

downtown business core and 

government, education, shopping, 

recreation and entertainment centers on 

the north side. The design of the 2.8- 

mile route was expanded in October 

2015 to include a loop on the north end 

in Flagler Village to capture recent and 

future residential and retail 

development in that area. The 

construction of the Wave Streetcar is 

currently scheduled to begin in mid2017. 

Mechanical drive systems have 

inherent braking requirements. 

AASHTO Movable Highway Bridge 

Design Specifications (MHBDS) require 

disc or drum brakes. The intent of 

AASHTO MHBDS 5.5, 5.6, 6.7.13 and 

the FOOT Structures Design Guidelines 

(SDG) Section 8.6.7 is to provide two 

sets of brakes—motor brakes and 

machinery brakes. This requirement 

provides stopping and holding as well 

as a failsafe within the gear train of the 

operating machinery. FDOT’s research 

indicates that the size of the disc and 

drum brakes required for this bridge are 

not domestically available. All recent 

new construction and rehabilitation of 

various moveable bridges in Florida 

have required Buy America waivers, 

including a Buy America waiver granted 

by FHWA on May 2, 2016 for the same 

items. 81 FR 26305 (May 2, 2016). 

Specific requirements for the brakes 

are as follows: All brakes shall be spring 

actuated, thruster released, stainless 

steel, drum type brakes with adjustable 

torque setting and set time delay 

settings. Span drive brakes shall be 

sized per Movable Highway Bridge 

Design Specifications (MHBDS) with the 

exception that ice accretion loads may 

be ignored. Brakes shall be mill duty 

brakes meeting Association of Iron and 

Steel Engineers—National Electrical 

Manufacturers Association (AISE— 

NEMA) Standards. The brake setting 

shall be no more than 90% and no less 

than 40% of the continuous rated 

capacity. The delay setting for each set 

of brakes shall be staggered to prevent 

all brakes from setting simultaneously 

and shock loading the machinery. 

There are no options other than the 

correct type of machinery brakes for 

failsafe and timed gradual setting. 

Brakes are an integral part of the 

movable bridge design. Brakes provide 

stopping and parking of the bascule 

leaves and are MHBDS required devices 

for the safety of the traveling public, 

both vehicular and navigation gradual 

setting. The brake application must be 

gradual as per the specified thruster to 

prevent damage to the bridge, loss of 

power or E-stop. Brakes are an integral 

part of the movable bridge design. 

Brakes provide stopping and parking of 

the bascule leaves and are MHBDS 

required devices for the safety of the 

traveling public, both vehicular and 

navigation. 

With certain exceptions, FTA’s Buy 

America requirements prevent FTA 

from obligating an amount that may be 

appropriated to carry out its program for 

a project unless ‘‘the steel, iron, and 

manufactured goods used in the project 

are produced in the United States.’’ 49 

U.S.C. 5323(j)(1). A manufactured 

product is considered produced in the 

United States if: (1) All of the 

manufacturing processes for the product 

take place in the United States; and (2) 

all of the components of the product are 

of U.S. origin. A component is 

considered of U.S. origin if it is 

manufactured in the United States, 

regardless of the origin of its 

subcomponents. 49 CFR 661.5(d). If, 

however, FTA determines that ‘‘the 

steel, iron, and goods produced in the 

United States are not produced in a 

sufficient and reasonably available 

amount or are not of a satisfactory 

quality,’’ then FTA may issue a waiver 

(non-availability waiver). 49 U.S.C. 

5323(j)(2)(B); 49 CFR 661.7(c). 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
49934 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2017 / Notices 

Throughout the brake manufacturing 

industry, it is well documented that 

there are no brakes made in the United 

States that satisfy both the project 

requirements and the Buy America 

requirements. FDOT engaged in 

extensive efforts to identify and locate 

qualified domestically manufactured 

brake products, including contacting 

numerous known bridge brake 

manufacturers. FDOT’s recent 

experience on similar projects has 

shown that contractors have been 

unable to locate qualified bridge brakes 

of either the shoe or disc type that have 

all components made in the United 

States. FDOT also has made an 

extensive effort to locate qualified 

domestically made brake products, 

including contacting known bridge 

brake manufacturers including the 

following manufactures: Johnson 

Industries, Mondel (made by Magnetek), 

Gemco (made by Ametek), Link 

Controls, Bubenzer, and Hiden. The 

manufacturers confirmed that they do 

not produce a product that meets both 

the Buy America provisions in 

accordance 49 CFR 661.7(c) and 49 

U.S.C. 5323(j), and the requirements of 

AASHTO MHBDS Articles 5.5, 5.6 and 

6. 7 .13. FDOT also conducted an 

internet search, which revealed several 

other brake manufacturers, but none 

make a qualified brake in the United 

States. Additionally, FDOT’s program 

management consultant contacted 

several contractors that supply 

machinery and brakes for movable 

bridges but had no success in locating 

a qualified brake made entirely in the 

United States. FDOT’s Program 

Management Consultant also has 

discussed this issue with other design 

engineers experienced in movable 

bridge machinery design and confirmed 

that they too have not been able to 

locate qualified brake products which 

are made in the United States. 

Finally, under 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(6), 

FTA cannot deny an application for a 

waiver based on non-availability unless 

FTA can certify that (i) the steel, iron, 

or manufactured good (the ‘‘item’’) is 

produced in the United States in a 

sufficient and reasonably available 

amount; and (ii) the item produced in 

the United States is of a satisfactory 

quality. Additionally, FTA must provide 

a list of known manufacturers in the 

United States from which the item can 

be obtained. FTA is not aware of any 

United States manufacturers who 

produce the motor brakes and 

machinery brakes required for the SE 

3rd Avenue Bascule Bridge 

Modification project. 

FDOT’s efforts to identify domestic 

manufacturers for the motor brakes and 

machinery brakes required for the SE 

3rd Avenue Bascule Bridge 

Modification project were unsuccessful. 

FTA proposes to grant FDOT a nonavailability waiver of the Buy America 

requirements for the motor brakes and 

machinery brakes required for the SE 

3rd Avenue Bascule Bridge 

Modification project. 

FTA is publishing this Notice to seek 

public and industry comment from all 

interested parties in accordance with 49 

U.S.C. 5323(j)(3)(A). Such information 

and comments will help FTA 

understand completely the facts 

surrounding the request, including the 

merits of the request. After 

consideration of the comments, FTA 

will publish a second notice in the 

Federal Register with a response to 

comments and noting any changes made 

to the proposed waiver because of the 

comments received. A full copy of the 

request has been placed in docket 

number FTA–2017–0014. 

K. Jane Williams, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23381 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Fiscal Service 

Bureau of the Fiscal Service 

Notice of Rate To Be Used for Federal 

Debt Collection, and Discount and 

Rebate Evaluation 

AGENCY: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, 

Fiscal Service, Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice of rate to be used for 

Federal debt collection, and discount 

and rebate evaluation. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Treasury 

is responsible for computing and 

publishing the percentage rate that is 

used in assessing interest charges for 

outstanding debts owed to the 

Government. This rate is also used by 

agencies as a comparison point in 

evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a 

cash discount. In addition, this rate is 

used in determining when agencies 

should pay purchase card invoices 

when the card issuer offers a rebate. 

Notice is hereby given that the 

applicable rate for calendar year 2018 is 

1.00 percent. 

DATES: January 1, 2018 through 

December 31, 2018. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Denice M. Wilson, E-Commerce 

Division, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, 

Department of the Treasury, 401 14th 

Street SW., Washington, DC 20227 

(Telephone: 202–874–9428). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rate 

is used in assessing interest charges for 

outstanding debts owed to the 

Government (The Debt Collection Act of 

1982, as amended (codified at 31 U.S.C. 

Section 3717)). This rate is also used by 

agencies as a comparison point in 

evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a 

cash discount. In addition, this rate is 

used in determining when agencies 

should pay purchase card invoices 

when the card issuer offers a rebate (5 

CFR 1315.8). 

The rate reflects the current value of 

funds to the Treasury for use in 

connection with Federal Cash 

Management systems and is based on 

investment rates set for purposes of 

Public Law 95–147, 91 Stat. 1227 

(October 28, 1977). Computed each year 

by averaging Treasury Tax and Loan 

(TT&L) investment rates for the 12- 

month period ending every September 

30, rounded to the nearest whole 

percentage, for applicability effective 

each January 1. Quarterly revisions are 

made if the annual average, on a moving 

basis, changes by 2 percentage points. 

The rate for calendar year 2018 reflects 

the average investment rates for the 12- 

month period that ended September 30, 

2017. 

Authority: 31 U.S.C. Section 3717. 

Dated: October 16, 2017. 

Ronda L. Kent, 

Assistant Commissioner, Payment 

Management, and Chief Disbursing Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23419 Filed 10–26–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–AS–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Notice of Meeting; National Research 

Advisory Council 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) gives notice under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA) that 

the National Research Advisory Council 

will hold a meeting on Wednesday, 

December 6, 2017, at the Atlanta 

Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 

Conference Room 5a110 at 1670 

Clairmont Rd., Decatur, Georgia 30033. 

The meeting will convene at 9:00 a.m. 

and end at 4:30 p.m. This meeting is 

open to the public. 

The agenda will include scientific 

presentations on animal research, 

mental health, rehabilitation and a 

facility tour. Additional presentations 

will include: Balancing research 

challenges, an overview of the animal 

research program from the Chief 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES