[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30898-30899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13226]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2010-0057]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments
for a New Information Collection
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation FHWA invites public
comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and
Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection: SAFETEA-LU
Section 6009 Phase 2 Implementation Study Survey. The information to be
collected for this study will be used to satisfy a Congressional
mandate in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to study and submit a
Report to Congress on the implementation of SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 and
its amendments. The survey results will allow U.S. DOT to fulfill the
implementation study requirement. We are required to publish this
notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Please submit comments by August 2, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number
0057 by any of the following methods:
Web Site: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Braegelmann, FHWA Office of
Project Development and Environmental
[[Page 30899]]
Review, (202) 366-1701. Federal Highway Administration, Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 Phase 2 Implementation Study Survey.
Background: Section 6009 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible,
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
amended existing Section 4(f) legislation to simplify the process and
approval of projects that have only de minimis impacts on lands
protected by Section 4(f). SAFETEA-LU also required the U.S. Department
of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to promulgate regulations to clarify the
factors to be considered and the standards to be applied in determining
the prudence and feasibility of alternatives that avoid uses of Section
4(f) properties. As mandated in the legislation, U.S. DOT conducted a
study on the implementation of new Section 4(f) provisions and its
amendments (herein referred to as Phase I). During development of the
Phase I study, U.S. DOT determined that sufficient information would
not be available during Phase I to adequately evaluate the new prudent
and feasible standards. Based on this fact, along with recommendations
provided by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) on strengthening
the Phase I findings, U.S. DOT is requesting approval to sponsor a one-
time survey on implementation of Section 6009 and its amendments. The
U.S. DOT and John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
(Volpe Center) have designed the survey and will submit the survey plan
and its associated information collection burden to OMB for approval.
The information collection supports the U.S. DOT's Environmental
Stewardship Strategic Goal. U.S. DOT will be better able to evaluate
how SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 may improve environmental decision-making
and expedite environmental reviews of transportation infrastructure
projects. The survey will solicit information on: (1) The post-
construction effectiveness of impact mitigation and avoidance
commitments adopted as part of projects where a Section 4(f) de minimis
impact finding or Section 4(f) finding under the revised Section 4(f)
regulations was made; and, (2) the processes developed to address the
Section 4(f) de minimis impacts and revise the feasible and prudent
standards and the efficiencies that may result. U.S. DOT will use the
results to evaluate the effectiveness and any resulting efficiencies of
SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 and its amendments.
Respondents: The proposed survey will be a web-based survey located
on the Survey Monkey Web site (http://www.surveymonkey.com). Staff
members at state and local transportation agencies and transportation
authorities, State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), Federal, State
and local agencies with jurisdiction over park, recreation areas, or
wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and citizen/advocacy groups will be
asked to complete the survey. U.S. DOT estimates that approximately 120
participants (30 state DOTs, 15 transit and other transportation
agencies, 25 SHPOs, 25 park and recreation officials, and 25 citizen
groups) will complete the survey.
Frequency: This is a one-time collection.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: Approximately 20 minutes per
participant for the one-time survey.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 40 hours.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the U.S. DOT's performance,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the
accuracy of the U.S. DOT's estimate of the burden of the proposed
information collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness,
and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden
could be minimized, including the use of electronic technology, without
reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will
summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's
clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.
Issued On: May 27, 2010.
Juli Huynh,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-13226 Filed 6-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P