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

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
9 February 2021

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8827-8828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02567]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2021-0002]


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

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

[[Page 8828]]


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 new 
information collection, which is summarized below under Supplementary 
Information. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by April 12, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
2021-0002 by any of the following methods:
    Website: 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: David Chandler, 617-866-8679/david.chandler@dot.gov; Martha Kenley, 202-604-6879/Martha.kenley@dot.gov, Office of Civil Rights, Federal Highway 
Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program Report.
    Background: The Findings in a September 2011 Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) Report concerning FHWA's administration of 
the OJT requirements indicated that FHWA needs to strengthen its 
stewardship and oversite of the OJT Program. Specifically, the GAO 
report cited, ``FHWA does not know what these programs have 
accomplished or how effectively these activities have advanced the 
broader goal of bringing underrepresented individuals into the highway 
construction workforce, because FHWA has performed only limited 
assessments of these programs over their nearly 40-year history.''
    The OJT regulations (23 CFR 230.111(a)) require State DOT 
recipients to determine annually which contracts should include 
Training Special Provisions and the minimum number of trainees or 
trainee hours to be specified in those provisions. By delegated 
authority from the FHWA Office of Civil Rights (HCR), this information 
is submitted by the State DOT to the respective FHWA division office 
for concurrence and approval of the total number of training slots or 
hours. This total number then becomes the State DOT's annual OJT 
program goal.
    Once an OJT goal is set, the regulations at Sec.  230.111(b) 
require State DOTs that do not meet their annual goals to evaluate and 
report the reasons for the shortfall and remedial steps to be taken in 
the next calendar year. This information is due to FHWA no later than 
30 days after the calendar year. Notwithstanding these requirements, 
there is no prescribed format for reporting this information to FHWA, 
so State DOT reports are varied. Further, there is no general reporting 
requirement that would allow HCR to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
OJT program nationally in meeting the primary objective: To employ, 
train, and upgrade minorities and women in the highway construction 
trades. Without any broader reporting requirement, FHWA lacks the 
necessary data to provide meaningful stewardship and oversight or to 
measure the effectiveness of OJT Programs nationally, as cited in GOA's 
2011 Report. In addition, this lack of data limits FHWA's ability to 
respond to requests from stakeholders, including Congress, regarding 
program accomplishments.
    The information FHWA proposes to collect in its OJT Program Report 
is based on existing requirements found in 23 CFR 230, Subpart A; 
therefore, State DOTs should have this information readily available. 
Use of the OJT Program Report is optional, and it will be made 
available through the Civil Rights Connect System currently used by 
FHWA recipients.
    Respondents: A maximum of fifty-three recipients may respond using 
the OJT Program Report provided by HCR.
    Frequency: Every year by January 30th.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The estimated number of 
hours for each of fifty-three (53) recipients to compile and submit the 
requested data is estimated to be not more than four (4) employee hours 
annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 212 hours for 
fifty-three (53) recipients annually.
    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: February 3, 2021.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-02567 Filed 2-8-21; 8:45 am]
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