Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments: Revision of a Currently Approved Collection; State Right-of-Way Operations Manuals, OMB Control Number 2125-0586.

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
August 28, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 51391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20517]



[[Page 51391]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2014-0033]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments: 
Revision of a Currently Approved Collection; State Right-of-Way 
Operations Manuals, OMB Control Number 2125-0586.

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 
revision of a currently approved 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 October 27, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID 2014-
0033 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. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary Jones, 202-366-2042, Office 
of Real Estate Services, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: State Right-of-Way Operations Manuals.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0586.
    Background: It is the responsibility of each State Department of 
Transportation (State) to acquire, manage and dispose of real property 
in compliance with the legal requirements of State and Federal laws and 
regulations. Part of providing assurance of compliance is to describe 
in a right-of-way procedural (operations) manual the organization, 
policies and procedures of the State to such an extent that these guide 
State employees, local acquiring agencies, and contractors who acquire 
and manage real property that is used for a federally funded 
transportation project. Procedural manuals assure the FHWA that the 
requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property 
Acquisition Policies Act (Uniform Act) will be met. The State 
responsibility to prepare and maintain an up-to-date right-of-way 
procedural manual is set out in 23 CFR 710.201(c). Due to the amending 
of 23 CFR 710 regulations, a lengthy and in-depth update of each manual 
will be required. The revisions are prompted by enactment of the Moving 
Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The regulation 
allows States flexibility in determining how to meet the manual 
requirement. This flexibility allows States to prepare manuals in the 
format of their choosing, to the level of detail necessitated by State 
complexities. Each State decides how it will provide service to 
individuals and businesses affected by Federal or federally-assisted 
projects, while at the same time reducing the burden of government 
regulation. States are required to update manuals to reflect changes in 
Federal requirements for programs administered under Title 23 U.S.C. 
The State manuals may be submitted to FHWA electronically or made 
available by posting on the State Web site.
    Respondents: 52 State Departments of Transportation, including the 
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
    Frequency: A one-time collection due to regulatory revisions. Then 
States update their manuals on an annually basis and certify every 5 
years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 225 hours per respondent.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 225 hours for each of the 52 
State Departments of Transportation. The total is 11,700 burden hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA 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: August 25, 2014.
 Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-20517 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
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