FTA prepares for government shutdown

With the threat of a government shutdown at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning looming, Federal Transit Administrator Peter M. Rogoff has released a “Dear Colleague” letter outlining FTA’s plans and curtailed activity.

The letter reads, in part: “I am required to apprise you of the procedures that FTA will use to implement an orderly shutdown should Congress be unable to pass a funding bill. 

As soon as funding lapses, FTA will not be permitted to incur further financial obligations. This means FTA will neither obligate grants nor make payments to grantees. For projects under development, FTA staff will not carry out environmental, legal, civil rights, and other reviews essential for advancing projects to the point of obligation since these are not related to immediate issues of life and safety. FTA’s Financial Management Systems will be unavailable for all grant and vendor payments. FTA will also not obligate or outlay funds for research and technical assistance activities because appropriations will not be available to pay the salaries of the staff executing the payments.”

Rogoff also notes, “In the event of a shutdown, roughly 90% of FTA’s staff will be furloughed. The remaining staff will be limited to three individuals who will remain in duty status for the purpose of shutdown and startup activities as well as emergency needs. A small number of additional employees will remain in duty status because they are compensated either from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or the emergency legislation providing for the recovery of Lower Manhattan in the wake of the September 11th attacks. During a shutdown, however, the work of those employees will be limited exclusively to the oversight of already-awarded Recovery Act grants and the Lower Manhattan recovery efforts.”