Emergency Route Working Group--Notice of Public Meetings |
|---|
|
Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
27 December 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95266-95267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31243]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2016-0015]
Emergency Route Working Group--Notice of Public Meetings
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces three meetings of the Emergency Route
Working Group (ERWG). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that
notice of these meetings be published in the Federal Register.
DATES: Three public meetings will be held on:
Monday, January 9, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., e.t.
Thursday, February 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
e.t.
Thursday, March 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
e.t.
ADDRESSES: All three public meetings will be held at the U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., Conference Center,
Washington, DC 20590.
Due to the limited amount of parking around DOT Headquarters, use
of public transit is strongly advised. DOT is served by the Navy Yard
Metrorail Station (Green line). The closest exit to DOT Headquarters is
the Navy Yard exit. Train and bus schedules are available at
Metrorail's Web site at: http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/tripplanner/tripplanner_form_solo.cfm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Jones, FHWA Office of Freight
Management and Operations, (202) 366-2976, or via email at
Crystal.Jones@dot.gov or erwg@dot.gov. For legal questions, contact
Seetha Srinivasan, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-4099 or
via email at Seetha.Srinivasan@dot.gov. Office hours for FHWA are from
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
An electronic copy of this notice may be downloaded from the from
the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov; the
Government Publishing Office's database at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/;
or the specific docket page at: www.regulations.gov.
Background
Purpose of the Committee: The ERWG was established pursuant to
section 5502 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act
(Pub. L. 114-94). Section 5502 of the (FAST) Act requires the DOT to
establish an emergency route working group to determine best practices
for expeditious State approval of special permits for vehicles involved
in emergency response and recovery. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA), the FHWA's Office of Freight Management and
Operations is announcing three public meetings of the Emergency Route
Working Group (ERWG) on the following dates:
Monday, January 9, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., e.t.
Thursday, February 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
e.t.
Thursday, March 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
e.t.
These meetings are being conducted to develop recommendations for
the DOT Secretary on issues and associated best practices to encourage
expeditious State approval of special permits for vehicles involved in
emergency response and recovery.
Tentative Agenda: The agenda will include a welcome and
introduction by the Designated Federal Officer and Committee Chair, a
review of literature related to special permits and emergency response
and recovery, and a topical discussion on considerations for best
practices; including whether:
(1) Impediments currently exist that prevent expeditious State
approval of special permits for vehicles involved in emergency response
and recovery;
(2) 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;
(3) a State could pre-designate an emergency route identified under
paragraph (2) as a certified emergency route if a motor vehicle that
exceeds the otherwise applicable Federal and State truck size and
weight limits may safely operate along such route during periods of
declared emergency and recovery from such periods; and
(4) an online map could be created to identify each pre-designated
emergency route under paragraph (3), including information on specific
vehicle limitations, obligations, and notification requirements along
that route.
Public Participation: All three meetings are open to the public.
The Designated Federal Officer and the Chair of the Committee will
conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. If
you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may
do so either before or after the meeting by submitting an electronic
copy of that statement to erwg@dot.gov or the specific docket page at:
www.regulations.gov. If you would like to make oral statements
regarding any of the items on the agenda, you should contact Crystal
Jones at the phone number listed above or email your request to
erwg@dot.gov. You must make your request for an oral statement at least
5 business days prior to the meeting. Reasonable provisions will be
made to include any such presentation on the agenda. Public comment
will be limited to 3 minutes per speaker, per topic.
Minutes: An electronic copy of the minutes from these meetings will
be available for download within 60 days of each meeting at: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/erwg/index.htm.
Authority: Section 5502 of Public Law 114-94; 5 U.S.C. Appendix
2; 41 CFR 102-3.65; 49 CFR 1.85.
[[Page 95267]]
Dated: December 21, 2016.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-31243 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P