Meetings: New Federal credit programs; DOT listening session,

[Federal Register: August 27, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 166)]

[Notices]

[Page 45897-45898]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr27au98-162]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-98-4356]

DOT Listening Session on New Federal Credit Programs

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (``FHWA''), DOT.

ACTION: Public meeting.

SUMMARY: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (``TEA- 21''), Public Law 105-178, 112 Stat. 107 (1998), established two new Federal credit programs for surface transportation projects. The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (``TIFIA''), Title I, Subtitle E, Chapter 1 was established to provide up to $10.6 billion of Federal assistance in the form of credit (direct loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit) to major surface transportation projects of critical national importance, such as intermodal facilities, border crossing infrastructure, trade corridors, and other investments generating substantial regional and national economic and other benefits. The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program (``RRIF''), Title VII, Subtitle B amended Title V of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 to provide up to $3.5 billion of Federal assistance in the form of direct loans and loan guarantees for eligible railroad projects. Prior to implementation, the Federal Highway Administration (``FHWA''), on behalf of the United States Department of Transportation (``USDOT''), will conduct on outreach session on TIFIA and RRIF to consult with its partners and customers. This notice serves to invite public officials, potential project sponsors, the financial community, and other interested parties to attend a meeting to share their comments with the USDOT concerning suggestions on how best to administer the new programs.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Monday, September 14, 1998, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

[[Page 45898]]

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Oval Room of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, One World Trade Center, 43rd floor, New York, New York. The morning session will be devoted to TIFIA and the afternoon session to RRIF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: On TIFIA: David Seltzer, (202) 366-0397, or Bryan Grote, (202) 366- 5785, Office of Budget and Finance, Room 4310, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. On RRIF: Joanne McGowan, (202) 493-6390, Office of Railroad Development, Mail Stop 20, Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours for FHWA and FRA are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem and suitable communications software from the Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet users may reach the Federal Register's home page at: http:// www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara. A copy of the TEA-21 legislation and conference report containing the TIFIA and RRIF programs is available on the FHWA Home Page at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/legis.htm.

Authority: 23 USC 181 and 49 CFR 1.45(a)(1).

Issued on: August 21, 1998. Jerry A. Hawkins, Director, Office of Personnel and Training.

[FR Doc. 98-23066Filed8-26-98; 8:45 am]

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