Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a Revision of a Currently Approved Collection; State Right-of-Way Manuals

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
September 23, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 184 (Wednesday, September 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57424-57425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24190]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2125-0025; OMB control Number 2125-0586]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a Revision of a Currently Approved Collection; State Right-of-Way 
Manuals

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 in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. We are required to publish this 
notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by November 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID 2125-
0025 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.
    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). 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. In 
addition to the annual updates, further lengthy updates of each manual 
will be required due to the amending of 23 CFR part 710 and 49 CFR part 
24 regulations, as prompted by the enactment of the Moving Ahead for 
Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The updated State manuals 
may be submitted to FHWA electronically or made available by posting on 
the State Web site.
    Respondents:
    Regular update of manual--52 State Departments of Transportation, 
including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (52 respondents)
    23 CFR part 710 regulatory revisions--52 State Departments of 
Transportation, including District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (52 
respondents)
    49 CFR part 24 regulatory revisions--two additional DOT Modes with 
50 large grantees each (100 respondents) & 12 additional agencies with 
12 grantees (12 respondents) 112 respondents
    Frequency:
    Regular update of manual--Annual basis and certify every 5 years.
    23 CFR part 710 regulatory revisions--a one-time collection.
    49 CFR part 24 regulatory revisions--a one-time collection.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response:
    Regular update of manual--15 hours.
    23 CFR part 710 regulatory revisions--225 hours.

[[Page 57425]]

    49 CFR part 24 regulatory revisions--225 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
    Regular update of manual: 52 respondents x 15 hours = 780 burden 
hours.
    23 CFR part 710 regulatory revisions: 52 respondents x 225 hours = 
11,700 burden hours.
    49 CFR part 24 regulatory revisions: 112 respondents x 225 hours = 
25,200 burden hours.
    Total: 780 hrs. + 11,700 hrs. + 25,200 hrs. = 37,680 total 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: September 18, 2015.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Coordinator.
[FR Doc. 2015-24190 Filed 9-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P