[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18674-18675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07024]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Innovative Technology Administration
[Docket RITA 2013-0002]
Invitation for Public Comment on Draft DOT Research, Development
and Technology Strategic Plan (2013-2018)
AGENCY: Research and Innovative Technology Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice, request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) is providing
notice of request for public comment on its draft strategic plan, U.S.
Department of Transportation, Research, Development and Technology
Strategic Plan FY 2013-2018. The new five-year strategic plan will
guide the Department's research, development, and technology activities
as required by Section 52013 of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st
Century Act (MAP-21), Public Law 112-141; July 6, 2012. The new plan
places its focus on the U.S. DOT Strategic Goals: Safety; State of Good
Repair; Economic Competitiveness; Livable Communities and Environmental
Sustainability, along
[[Page 18675]]
with MAP-21 RD&T critical issues: Promoting safety; reducing congestion
and improving mobility; preserving the environment; preserving existing
transportation systems; improving the durability and extending the life
of transportation infrastructure; and improving goods movement. The
Research and Innovative Technology Administration's (RITA's) Office of
Research, Development and Technology (RD&T), has coordinated this
effort in collaboration with partner modal administrations and offices
across the U.S. DOT. As recommended by the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) and the National Research Council (NRC), RITA and its
partners are seeking public stakeholder comment to ensure RD&T
resources are invested wisely to achieve measurable improvements in our
Nation's transportation system.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by April 26, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number
RITA 2013-0002 by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Instructions: Identify docket number, RITA 2013-0002, at the
beginning of your comments, and send two copies. To receive
confirmation that DOT received your comments, include a self-addressed
stamped postcard. Internet users may access all comments received by
DOT at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments are posted
electronically without charge or edits, including any personal
information provided.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kevin Womack, Associate
Administrator, Office of Research Development and Technology, Research
and Innovative Technology Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue Street
SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, telephone (202) 366-5447 or email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
RITA was established as a separate administration within the United
States Department of Transportation pursuant to the Norman Y. Mineta
Research and Special Programs Improvement Act (Pub. L. 108-426),
November 30, 2004, with the mandate to generate greater efficiency and
increase the effectiveness of the U.S. DOT's coordination, analysis,
and review of research programs, progress and products and in advancing
innovative technology.
The new draft strategic plan, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan FY 2013-2018, is
the Department's second since RITA's inception. The Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU) enacted in 2005 called for the U.S. DOT to develop a
strategic plan to guide its RD&T activities. The previous Plan was
published in 2006 and served as a compendium of modal research pursuits
at that time. Section 52013 of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st
Century Act (MAP-21) enacted in 2012 called for the Department to
develop a new five-year RD&T strategic plan. The new draft Plan pursues
a more cross-modal, collaborative and strategic process to cover the
years 2013-2018, and responds to feedback from the National Research
Council's review (http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/reports/letterreport_usdotrd&tplan.pdf ), of the earlier plan published in
2006, ``Transportation Research, Development and Technology Strategic
Plan 2006-2010'', (http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/rita_archives/rita_publications/transportation_rd_t_strategic_plan/index.html), and the recommendations of the GAO report published in
2006, ``Transportation Research: Opportunities for Improving the
Oversight of DOT's Research Programs and User Satisfaction with
Transportation Statistics'' (http://www.gao.gov/assets/260/251162.html). The U.S. DOT, with leadership from RITA engaged in a
collaborative process involving all of the U.S. DOT operating
administrations. Two cross-modal bodies participated in the process:
the RD&T Planning Team Council (composed of the heads of the operating
administrations, the Under Secretary for Policy, and other senior U.S.
DOT leaders) and the RD&T Planning Team which includes the Associate
Administrators for RD&T in each operating administration. Through this
Notice, the U.S. DOT is seeking input from stakeholders including
individual citizens, members of the private sector, the academic
community, non-governmental organizations, and other interested
parties.
Stakeholder's comments should be aligned, if possible, with the
U.S. DOT Strategic Goals, the RD&T critical issues as outlined in MAP-
21 and combined in the draft Plan as well as listed in the Summary
section of this notice. All comments will be considered that are
received by the deadline that appears in the DATES section.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 15, 2013.
Gregory D. Winfree,
Deputy Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-07024 Filed 3-26-13; 8:45 am]
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