Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
20 July 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 138 (Thursday, July 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33540-33541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15183]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2017-0029]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request 
the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day 
public comment period on this information collection on June 19, 2017. 
We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by August 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. 
All comments should include the Docket number FHWA-2017-0029.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Ferroni, 202-366-3233, Office of 
Planning, Environment, and Realty, Federal Highway Administration, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 burden; (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.

[[Page 33541]]

    Title: Noise Barrier Inventory.
    Background: The basis of the Federal-aid highway program is a 
strong federal-state partnership. At the core of that partnership is a 
philosophy of trust and flexibility, and a belief that the states are 
in the best position to make investment decisions and that states base 
these decisions on the needs and priorities of their citizens. The FHWA 
noise regulation (23 CFR 772) gives each state department of 
transportation (SDOT) flexibility to determine the feasibility and 
reasonableness of noise abatement by balancing of the benefits of noise 
abatement against the overall adverse social, economic, and 
environmental effects and costs of the noise abatement measures. The 
SDOT must base its determination on the interest of the overall public 
good, keeping in mind all the elements of the highway program (need, 
funding, environmental impacts, public involvement, etc.).
    Reduction of highway traffic noise should occur through a program 
of shared responsibility with the most effective strategy being 
implementation of noise compatible planning and land use control 
strategies by state and local governments. Local governments can use 
their power to regulate land development to prohibit noise-sensitive 
land use development adjacent to a highway, or to require that 
developers plan, design, and construct development in ways that 
minimize noise impacts. The FHWA noise regulations limit Federal 
participation in the construction of noise barriers along existing 
highways to those projects proposed along lands where land development 
or substantial construction predated the existence of any highway.
    The data reflects the flexibility in noise abatement decision-
making. Some states have built many noise barriers while a few have 
built none. Through the end of 2010, 47 SDOTs and the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico have constructed over 2,748 linear miles of barriers at a 
cost of over $4.05 billion ($5.44 billion in 2010 dollars). Three 
states and the District of Columbia have not constructed noise 
barriers. Ten SDOTs account for approximately sixty-two percent (62%) 
of total barrier length and sixty-nine percent (69%) of total barrier 
cost. The type of information requested can be found in 23CFR772.13(f).
    The previously distributed listing can be found at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/noise_barriers/inventory/summary/sintro7.cfm.
    This listing continues to be extremely useful in the management of 
the highway traffic noise program, in our technical assistance efforts 
for State highway agencies, and in responding to inquiries from 
congressional sources, Federal, State, and local agencies, and the 
general public. An updated listing of noise barriers will be 
distributed nationally for use in the highway traffic noise program. It 
is anticipated that this information will be requested in 2014 (for 
noise barriers constructed in 2011, 2012 and 2013) and then again in 
2017 (for noise barriers constructed in 2014, 2015 and 2016). After 
review of the ``Summary of Noise Barriers Constructed by December 31, 
2004'' document, a SDOT may request to delete, modify or add 
information to any calendar year.
    Respondents: Each of the 50 SDOTs, the District of Columbia, and 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    Frequency: Every 3 years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: It is estimated that on 
average it would take 8 hours to respond to this request.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is estimated that the 
estimated total annual burden is 139 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 49CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: July 11, 2017.
 Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-15183 Filed 7-19-17; 8:45 am]
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