Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2008/10/03/E8-23266/e-911-grant-program
Timestamp: 2015-08-30 22:34:23
Document Index: 294977933

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', 'art 400', 'ART 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', '§ 400', 'art 400']

A Proposed Rule by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on
Comments Close: 12/02/2008
-57580 (14 pages)
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/E8-23266 Related Topics
Enhanced 911 (E-911) Grant Program 3 actions from October 3rd, 2008 to June 2009
Minimum Grant Awards Available to Qualifying States
D. Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice Reform) E. Paperwork Reduction Act
II. Summary of the ENHANCE 911 Act Back to Top
The ENHANCE 911 Act requires NHTSA and NTIA to “establish a joint program to facilitate coordination and communication between Federal, State, and local emergency communications systems, emergency personnel, public safety organizations, telecommunications carriers, and telecommunications equipment manufacturers and vendors involved in the implementation of E-911 services” and “create an E-911 Implementation Coordination Office [ICO] * * *.” 47 U.S.C. 942(a)(1). The Act charges the ICO with three tasks related to E-911 grant program administration. Specifically, the Act requires the ICO to: (1) Advise and assist eligible entities in the preparation of plans required under the Act for the coordination and implementation of E-911 services; (2) receive and review grant applications and recommend approval or disapproval; and (3) oversee the use of grant funds in fulfilling implementation plans. 47 U.S.C. 942(a)(3). The agencies have centralized the grant-related administrative functions of the ICO within NHTSA.
III. Proposed Regulations Back to Top
Generally, terms used in this part are terms defined by the ENHANCE 911 Act. The NET 911 Improvement Act, which amended the ENHANCE 911 Act to allow grant funds to be used for migration to an “IP-enabled emergency network,” does not define that term. IP, or Internet Protocol, is one method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another. See RFC 791, “Internet Protocol, DARPA Internet Program Protocol Specification” (Sept. 1981), available at http://rfc.net/rfc0791.html; see also STD 5 “Internet Protocol, DARPA Internet Program Protocol Specification” (Sept. 1981), available at http://rfc.net/std0005.html. Because the agencies believe that such emergency communications should be transmitted securely, the agencies propose defining “IP-enabled emergency network” as an emergency communications network based on an infrastructure allowing secured transmission of data among computers that use the Internet Protocol.
The proposed rule outlines the requirements for States to apply for a grant under this program. In order to qualify to receive an E-911 grant, the agencies propose that States must submit an application containing the following components: a State 911 plan, a project budget, a supplementary project budget, designation of the State E-911 Coordinator, and a certification of compliance with statutory and programmatic requirements. These components are consistent with the application requirements of the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments. See 49 CFR 18.10; Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-102.
It is possible that some States may choose not to apply or may not qualify for an E-911 grant because they are unable to make the required certifications. To address these contingencies, the agencies propose to distribute all remaining available funds to the pool of qualifying grant recipients, in accordance with the same formula used for the initial distribution. See discussion under Section III.E., below. In order to expedite the award of these grant funds, the agencies propose that States would include a supplemental project budget in anticipation of the potential availability of additional grant funds. Specifically, the agencies propose that States identify in their supplemental project budget the maximum amount that the State would be able to match from non-Federal sources and include proposed projects or activities for those grant and matching funds, up to the same total amount and to the same level of detail as required for the project budget under proposed § 400.4(a)(2). The agencies propose that the supplemental project budget meet the same requirements identified for the project budget in § 400.4(a)(2) and be consistent with the State 911 Plan in § 400.4(a)(1). 4. Designated E-911 Coordinator (47 CFR 400.4(a)(4); Appendix B; Appendix C)
The ENHANCE 911 Act provides that the grants are intended for the implementation and operation of Phase II E-911 services or for migration to an IP-enabled emergency network. To implement this requirement, the agencies propose that grant funds and matching funds be used either for the acquisition and deployment of hardware and software that enables compliance with Phase II E-911 services or that enables migration to an IP-enabled emergency network, or for training in the use of such hardware and software. The agencies believe that limiting grant funds to these identified uses will maximize progress toward implementing Phase II E-911 services and IP-enabled 911 services, and would best effectuate the purposes of the Act.
V. Statutory Basis for This Action Back to Top
VI. Regulatory Analyses and Notices Back to Top
In consideration of the foregoing, the agencies have determined that if it is made final, this rulemaking action would not be economically significant. The impacts of the rule would be so minimal that a full regulatory evaluation is not required. B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
In a Federal Register document published on March 11, 2008, NHTSA sought public comment on a proposed collection of information for the E-911 grant program. See 73 FR 13068. In that notice, NHTSA inadvertently identified HS-217 (Highway Safety Program Cost Summary) for submission in the application instead of SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance), including SF-424a and SF-424b, which have been approved by OMB. The agencies intend to use the SF-424 forms as part of the application for the E-911 grant program. Accordingly, the agencies are not required to obtain OMB approval for the use of these forms.
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 400 Back to Top
CHAPTER IV—NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AND NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Back to Top
PART 400—E-911 GRANT PROGRAM Back to Top
Eligible entity means a State or local government or tribal organization, including public authorities, boards, commissions, and similar bodies created by such governmental entities to provided E-911 services.
(3) Supplemental project budget. To be eligible for additional grant funds that may become available in accordance with § 400.6, a State must submit, with its application, a supplemental project budget that identifies the maximum dollar amount the State is able to match from non-Federal sources meeting the requirements of 49 CFR 18.24, and includes projects or activities for those grant and matching amounts, up to the total amount in the project budget submitted under paragraph (a)(2) of this section. This information must be provided to the same level of detail as required under paragraph (a)(2) of this section and be consistent with the State 911 Plan required under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(a) Initial distribution. Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, grant funds for each State that meets the requirements in § 400.4 will be distributed—
(b) Minimum distribution. The distribution to each qualifying State under paragraph (a) of this section shall not be less than $500,000, except that the distribution to American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands shall not be less than $250,000.
(c) Supplemental distribution. Grant funds that are not distributed under paragraph (a) of this section will be redistributed among qualifying States that have met the requirements of § 400.4, including the submission of a supplemental project budget as provided § 400.4(a)(3), in accordance with the formula in paragraph (a) of this section.
§ 400.7 Eligible uses for grant funds.
§ 400.8 Non-compliance.
§ 400.9 Financial and administrative requirements.
(1) Performance reports. Each grant recipient shall submit an annual performance report to NHTSA, following the procedures of 49 CFR 18.40, within 90 days after each fiscal year that grant funds are available, except when a final report is required under § 400.10(b)(ii).
(2) Financial reports. Each grant recipient shall submit quarterly financial reports to NHTSA, following the procedures of 49 CFR 18.41, within 30 days after each fiscal quarter that grant funds are available, except when a final voucher is required under § 400.10(b)(i).
§ 400.10 Closeout
Appendix A to Part 400 Back to Top
Minimum Grant Awards Available to Qualifying States Back to Top
Minimum E-911 grant award
$686,230.25
627,067.26
594,060.05
2,841,352.77
662,637.98
1,579,728.30
1,063,089.13
1,343,670.10
783,700.36
668,545.47
770,896.23
584,385.38
511,974.11
527,000.57
1,108,704.89
874,841.32
891,711.03
508,655.45
666,876.13
1,603,343.25
971,280.91
1,203,583.60
700,339.78
1,242,455.97
541,705.79
751,822.46
2,702,727.44
758,028.12
734,176.40
820,409.48
Total Available E-911 Grant Funds
41,325,000.00