Emergency Route Working Group (ERWG)--Federal Advisory Committee |
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Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
24 August 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57996-57997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20233]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2016-0015]
Emergency Route Working Group (ERWG)--Federal Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Establishment of the Emergency Route Working Group;
Request for Nominations.
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SUMMARY: FHWA announces the establishment of the Emergency Route
Working Group (ERWG) for a 2-year period. The ERWG will provide the
U.S. Secretary of Transportation, through the Administrator of the
FHWA, with advice and recommendations for the implementation of best
practices for expeditious State approval of special permits for
vehicles involved in emergency response and recovery. The ERWG will
provide the U.S. Secretary of Transportation a written report by
December 4, 2016, on its findings and recommendation for the
implementation of best practices for expeditious State approval of
special permits for vehicles involved in emergency response and
recovery. The ERWG's advice and recommendations will work within
existing legal authorities and not require changes in State or Federal
law for DOT to implement.
DATES: The deadline for nominations for ERWG members must be received
on or before September 23, 2016.
ADDRESSES: All nomination materials should be emailed to erwg@dot.gov
or faxed to the attention of Crystal Jones at (202) 366-3225, or mailed
to Crystal Jones, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight
Management and Operations, Room E84-314, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590. Any person needing accessibility accommodations
should contact Crystal Jones at (202) 366-2976.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Jones, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Room E84-314, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Any person needing
accessibility accommodations should contact Crystal Jones at (202) 366-
2976; email: erwgt@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 5502 of the Fixing America's Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94, 129 Stat. 1312) requires the
Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group to determine
best practices for expeditious State approval of special permits for
vehicles involved in emergency response and recovery. Pursuant to
Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and in
accordance with 41 CFR 102-3.65, and following consultation with the
Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration,
notice is hereby given that the ERWG will be established for up to a 2-
year period. The ERWG will provide the U.S. Secretary of
Transportation, through the Administrator of the FHWA, with advice and
recommendations for the implementation of best practices for
expeditious State approval of special permits for vehicles involved in
emergency response and recovery. The ERWG will provide the U.S.
Secretary of Transportation a written report by December 4, 2016, on
its findings and recommendations. The ERWG's advice and recommendations
will work within existing legal authorities and not require changes in
State or Federal law for DOT to implement.
The Department of Transportation is hereby soliciting nominations
for members of the ERWG. The Federal Highway Administrator, on behalf
of the Secretary of Transportation, will appoint up to 25 ERWG members.
The
[[Page 57997]]
ERWG members selected will provide views and perspective on whether:
a. impediments currently exist that prevent expeditious State
approval of special permits for vehicles involved in emergency response
and recovery;
b. it is possible to pre-identify and establish emergency routes
between States through which infrastructure repair materials could be
delivered following a natural disaster or emergency;
c. a State could pre-designate an emergency route identified under
paragraph (b) as a certified emergency route if a motor vehicle that
exceeds the otherwise applicable Federal and State truck length or
width limits may safely operate along such route during periods of
declared emergency and recovery from such periods; and
d. an online map could be created to identify each pre-designated
emergency route under paragraph (c), including information on specific
limitations, obligations, and notification requirements along that
route.
The ERWG membership will seek to balance the following interests to
the extent practicable; but as required by law the membership shall
include representatives from State highway transportation departments
or agencies; relevant modal agencies within the DOT; emergency response
or recovery experts; relevant safety groups; and entities affected by
special permit restrictions during emergency response and recovery
efforts. The ERGW members serve at the pleasure of the Secretary, but
may serve for a term of 2 years or less. The Chair and Vice Chair of
the ERWG will be appointed by the FHWA Administrator from among the
selected members, and the ERWG is expected to meet 12 times before the
termination, which is defined in law as 1 year after the group delivers
the report to the Secretary of Transportation required under Section
5502(c) of the FAST Act. Subcommittees may be formed to address
specific emergency route issues. Some ERWG members may be appointed as
special Government employees and will be subject to certain ethical
restrictions, and such members will be required to submit certain
information in connection with the appointment process. With the
exception of travel and per diem for official travel, members will
serve without compensation.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Qualified
individuals can self-nominate or be nominated by any individual or
organization. To be considered for the ERWG, nominators should submit
the following information:
(1) Name, title, and relevant contact information (including phone,
fax, and email address) of the individual requesting consideration;
(2) A letter of support from a company, union, trade association,
or non-profit organization on letterhead containing a brief description
why the nominee should be considered for membership;
(3) Short biography of nominee including professional and academic
credentials;
(4) An affirmative statement that the nominee is not a federally
registered lobbyist, and that the nominee understands that if
appointed, the nominee will not be allowed to continue to serve as a
ERWG member if the nominee becomes a federally registered lobbyist;
(5) An affirmative statement that the nominee meets all ERWG
eligibility requirements.
Please do not send company, trade association, or organization
brochures or any other information. Materials submitted should total
two pages or less. Should more information be needed, DOT staff will
contact the nominee, obtain information from the nominee's past
affiliations, or obtain information from publicly available sources,
such as the Internet.
Nominations may be emailed to erwg@dot.gov or faxed to the
attention of Crystal Jones at (202) 366-2976, or mailed to Crystal
Jones, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and
Operations, Room E84-314, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC
20590. Nominations must be received before September 23, 2016. Nominees
selected for appointment to the ERWG will be notified by return email
and by a letter of appointment.
A selection team comprising representatives from several DOT
offices will review the nomination packages. The selection team will
make recommendations regarding membership to the Secretary of
Transportation through the Federal Highway Administrator based on
criteria including (1) professional or academic expertise, experience,
and knowledge; (2) stakeholder representation; (3) availability and
willingness to serve; and (4) skills working in committees and advisory
panels. The Federal Highway Administrator will submit a list of
recommended candidates to the Secretary of Transportation for review
and selection of ERWG members.
Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical
handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation. To ensure that
recommendations to the Secretary take into account the needs of the
diverse groups served by DOT, membership shall include, to the extent
practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 15, 2016.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-20233 Filed 8-23-16; 8:45 am]
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