Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
January 17, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 3263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00852]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2014-0005]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by March 18, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
2015-0005 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.
    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. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Douglas, 202-366-2601, Office of 
Human Environment, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Surface Transportation Environment and Planning (STEP) 
Cooperative Research Program.
    Background: Section 5207 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users of 2005 
(SAFETEA-LU) established a new cooperative research program for 
environment and planning research in section 507 of Title 23, United 
States Code, Highways (23 U.S.C. 507). The general objective of the 
STEP is to improve understanding of the complex relationship between 
surface transportation, planning, and the environment. The FHWA 
anticipates that the STEP program will provide resources for national 
research on issues related to planning, environment and realty. These 
resources are likely to be included in future surface transportation 
legislation. The research program established under this section shall 
ensure that stakeholders are involved in the governance of the program, 
at the executive, overall program, and technical levels, through the 
use of expert panels and committees. FHWA will be collecting feedback 
via a STEP Web site on the 18 emphasis areas. This information will be 
used to identify potential research for an annual Research Plan.
    The number of stakeholders with an interest in environment and 
planning research includes three groups:

I--Federal Agencies and Tribal Governments
II--State and Local Governments
III--Nongovernmental Transportation and Environmental Stakeholders

    Respondents: An estimated 270 participants annually for a total of 
approximately 810 participants during the three-year period while the 
OMB clearance is in effect.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes each year. Due to 
the specialized nature of the 18 emphasis areas, most commenters will 
provide input in only one area.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 135 hours 
annually (405 hours total for the three-year period).
    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: January 13, 2014.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-00852 Filed 1-16-14; 8:45 am]
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