FHWA to Conduct Workshops On Motor Fuel Reporting

Federal Highway Administration
November 18, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 18, 1999
Contact: Jim Pinkelman
Tel.: 202-366-0660
FHWA 75-99

Federal Highway Administrator Kenneth R. Wykle today announced a series of one-day workshops, to take place in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Denver, that will look at ways to enhance the motor fuel tax reporting process, which plays a critical role in determining the amount of federal highway funds that states receive.

"States and communities across America have benefitted from the record level of infrastructure investment under the Clinton Administration," Wykle said. "These workshops will provide an excellent opportunity for our state partners to achieve a better understanding of the motor fuel reporting process, which plays a key role in how federal funds are distributed to each state. We also hope to gain further input from our state partners as we reassess the process."

Under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which President Clinton signed into law on June 9, 1998, about $11 billion in federal-aid highway funding is apportioned annually to states based on their reporting of fuel consumption. The workshops, to be hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), are intended to provide information on the reporting of motor fuel data from the states to the FHWA and the process by which the FHWA in turn attributes federal revenue to the states using state-provided data. This data is then used in the TEA-21 formulas through which the FHWA makes funds available to the states.

In addition, the workshops will feature discussions of possible changes in reporting procedures, with comments and suggestions from state transportation and revenue agencies and other interested parties.

The workshops will be conducted in conjunction with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the Federation of Tax Administrators. The workshops are free and open to the public.

The workshops will take place at the Atlanta Marquis Marriott Hotel in Atlanta on Dec. 7, 1999; at the Marriott Philadelphia Hotel in downtown Philadelphia on Jan. 27, 2000; and at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Denver on Feb. 24, 2000. Each meeting will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

For further information, call Marsha Reynolds or Ralph Erickson in the FHWA Office of Highway Information Management, 202-366-0170.