Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection Publication: Federal Register Agency: Federal Highway Administration Byline: Jazmyne Lewis Date: 21 June 2024 Subjects: American Government , Roads & Highways

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52200-52201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13527]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2024-0047]


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: 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 August 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
0047 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: Mr. Michael Dougherty, (667)-668-1781, 
Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs, Office of Highway Policy 
Information, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Office 
hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Highway Use Tax Evasion Discretionary Grant Program
    Background: The Highway Use Tax Evasion Projects (HUTE) program 
provides funding to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the States 
to carry out intergovernmental enforcement efforts, along with training 
and research, to reduce evasion of payment of motor fuel and other 
highway use taxes, which are the

[[Page 52201]]

principal sources for Federal and State highway funding. Under the 
current Surface Transportation Authorization, the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), $2 million is available to make grants 
for intergovernmental enforcement efforts, including research and 
training. The intergovernmental enforcement efforts grants are awarded 
to State agencies through a competitive application process from which 
FHWA and the IRS make selections based on the most innovative, 
intergovernmental proposals. The States then perform various tasks, 
including increased enforcement, enhancement of data systems, and 
coordination with other State agencies.
    The remaining funding may, at the discretion of the Secretary of 
Transportation, either be awarded for intergovernmental enforcement 
efforts grants, or allocated to the IRS for their enforcement efforts.
    While the statute allows for the IRS to determine the use of their 
allocations, they must be used in some fashion related to the 
identification and elimination of highway use tax evasion. For both the 
States and the IRS, the initiatives may include, but are not limited 
to, office examinations, refinery and terminal examinations, and on-
road enforcement in areas such as the illegal use of dyed diesel fuel 
by motor vehicles.
    Respondents: There are 51 respondents, including 50 State 
Transportation Departments, and the District of Columbia. While the 
applications are open to all of those organizations, on average, about 
16 applications are received each year for grant requests, some of 
which include multiple States, which brings the total individual 
projects to around 30.
    Frequency: On an on-going basis as grant opportunities are 
announced.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: There are an average of 16 
applications filed each cycle. It takes approximately 40 hours to 
gather the information and upload it through the grants.gov system.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Total estimated average annual 
burden is 640 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 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: June 14, 2024.
Jazmyne Lewis,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-13527 Filed 6-20-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P