National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Freight Movement on the Interstate System, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

Brandye L. Hendrickson
Federal Highway Administration
8 November 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51786-51787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24345]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

23 CFR Part 490

[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2017-0025]
RIN 2125-AF776


National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance 
of the National Highway System, Freight Movement on the Interstate 
System, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is extending the comment period for a notice of 
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and request for comments, which was 
published on October 5, 2017. The original comment period is set to 
close on November 6, 2017. The extension is based on concern expressed 
by stakeholders that this closing date does not provide sufficient time 
to review and provide comprehensive comments on the proposal. The FHWA 
recognizes that others interested in commenting may have similar 
concerns, but is mindful of commenters who have expressed opposition to 
a lengthy rulemaking process. Therefore, the closing date for comments 
is extended, which will provide stakeholders interested in commenting 
additional time to submit responses to the docket.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 5, 
2017, at 82 FR 46427, is extended. Comments must be received on or 
before November 15, 2017.

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 8 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those 
desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a self-
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: Susanna Hughes-Reck, Office of 
Infrastructure, (202) 366-1548, or Janet Myers, Office of Chief 
Counsel, (202) 366-2019, Federal Highway Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, 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

    Section 150 of title 23, U.S.C., identifies the national 
transportation goals and requires the Secretary by rule

[[Page 51787]]

to establish performance measures in specified Federal-aid highway 
program areas. One of the measures FHWA created to assess the 
performance of the NHS under the National Highway Performance Program 
(NHPP) is Percent Change in Tailpipe Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 
Emissions on the NHS from the Calendar Year 2017 (also referred to as 
the GHG measure). It was created to advance a policy preference of the 
prior Administration. On October 5th at 82 FR 46427, FHWA published an 
NPRM proposing to repeal the measure.
    The original comment period for the NPRM closes on November 6, 
2017. Clean Air Carolina, Natural Resources Defense Council, Southern 
Environmental Law Center, U.S. Public Interest Research Group, and The 
City of New York Law Department have expressed concern that this 
closing date does not provide sufficient time to review and provide 
comprehensive comments on the proposal. The FHWA is mindful, however, 
of requests by the State Department of Transportation of Michigan, 
Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Missouri to 
complete the rulemaking as expeditiously as possible to provide them 
certainty in their investment and programming activities. As such, FHWA 
is extending the closing date from November 6, 2017, to November 15, 
2017.

    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 104(b)(1), 119, and 150.

Brandye L. Hendrickson,
Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-24345 Filed 11-3-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P