Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning; Metropolitan Transportation Planning

Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
Therese W. McMillan
Federal Transit Administration
September 2, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 2, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51922-51923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20885]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

23 CFR Part 450

Federal Transit Administration

49 CFR Part 613

[Docket No. FHWA-2013-0037]
RIN 2125-AF52; 2132-AB10


Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning; 
Metropolitan Transportation Planning

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA); Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA and FTA are extending the comment period for a notice 
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and request for comments, which was 
published on June 2, 2014. The original comment period is set to close 
on September 2, 2014. The extension is based on concern expressed by 
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 
(AASHTO) that the September 2 closing date does not provide sufficient 
time to review and provide comprehensive comments on the NPRM. The FHWA 
and FTA recognize that others interested in commenting may have similar 
concerns and agrees that the comment period should be extended. 
Therefore, the closing date for comments is changed to October 2, 2014, 
which will provide AASHTO and others interested in commenting 
additional time to discuss, evaluate, and submit responses to the 
docket.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published on June 2, 
2014 (79 FR 31784), is extended. Comments must be received on or before 
October 2, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand deliver comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets Management Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., Washington, DC 20590, or submit electronically at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments should include the docket number that 
appears in the heading of this document. All comments received will be 
available for examination and copying at the above address from 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those 
desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a self-

[[Page 51923]]

addressed, stamped postcard or may print the acknowledgment page that 
appears after submitting comments electronically. 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 (Volume 
65, Number 70, Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the FHWA: Mr. Harlan W. Miller, 
Planning Oversight and Stewardship Team (HEPP-10), (202) 366-0847; or 
Ms. Anne Christenson, Office of the Chief Counsel (HCC-30), (202) 366-
1356. For the FTA: Ms. Sherry Riklin, Office of Planning and 
Environment, (202) 366-5407; Mr. Dwayne Weeks, Office of Planning and 
Environment, (202) 493-0316; or Mr. Christopher Hall, Office of Chief 
Counsel, (202) 366-5218. Both agencies are located at 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., e.t. for FHWA, and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., e.t. for FTA, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access and Filing

    You may submit or access all comments received by DOT online 
through: http://www.regulations.gov. Electronic submission and 
retrieval help and guidelines are available on the Web site. It is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Please follow the 
instructions. An electronic copy of this document may also be 
downloaded from the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.federalregister.gov.

Background

    On June 2, 2014, FHWA and FTA published in the Federal Register an 
NPRM proposing changes revisions to the regulations governing the 
development of metropolitan transportation plans and programs for 
urbanized areas, State transportation plans and programs, and the 
congestion management process. The changes reflect recent passage of 
the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The 
MAP-21 continues many provisions related to transportation planning 
from prior laws; however, it introduces transformational changes and 
adds some new provisions. The proposed rule would make the regulations 
consistent with current statutory requirements and proposes the 
following: A new mandate for State departments of transportation 
(States) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) to take a 
performance-based approach to planning and programming; a new emphasis 
on the nonmetropolitan transportation planning process, by requiring 
States to have a higher level of involvement with nonmetropolitan local 
officials and providing a process for the creation of regional 
transportation planning organizations; a structural change to the 
membership of the larger MPOs; a new framework for voluntary scenario 
planning; revisions to the integration of the planning and 
environmental review process; and a process for programmatic mitigation 
plans.
    The original comment period for the NPRM closes on September 2, 
2014. The AASHTO has expressed concern that this closing date does not 
provide sufficient time to review and provide comprehensive comments on 
the NPRM. The FHWA recognizes that others interested in commenting may 
have similar concerns and agrees that the comment period should be 
extended. To allow time for this organization and others to submit 
comprehensive comments, the closing date is changed from September 2, 
2014, to October 2, 2014.

    Authority:  23 U.S.C. 134 and 135; 42 U.S.C. 7410 et seq.; 49 
U.S.C. 5303 and 5304; 49 CFR 1.85 and 1.90.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 27, 2014, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.85 and 1.91.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration.
Therese W. McMillan,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-20885 Filed 8-28-14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P