Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 203 / Thursday, October 21, 2004 / Notices 61901

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received, go to http://

dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL–

401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 

Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mamie Smith, (202) 366–2529, Office of 

Real Estate Services, Federal Highway 

Administration, Department of 

Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, 

SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office 

hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Identify and Evaluate Barriers to 

Right-of-Way Training Needs. 

Abstract: More training for 

individuals handling right-of-way 

activities for Federal and State 

transportation agencies is needed. The 

State right-of way managers and the 

Federal Highway Administration 

(FHWA) divisions’ realty offices 

frequently express concern to the 

FHWA’s Office of Real Estate Services 

(HEPR) about the lack of training for 

current and new employees. Yet, it 

appears that these groups may 

underutilize existing training resources, 

such as courses offered through the 

National Highway Institute (NHI), the 

International Right-of-Way Association 

(IRWA), and the Appraisal Institute (AI). 

The goal of this research project is to 

determine whether HEPR’s State and 

Federal customers are taking full 

advantage of existing training 

opportunities. This proposed 

information collection would involve 

responses to a questionnaire and a 

follow-up survey to identify and 

evaluate barriers to existing right-of-way 

training courses. 

Respondents: The respondents to the 

survey will be the state right-of-way 

managers and the FHWA division realty 

officers in all 50 states, the District of 

Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as 

the selected training providers at NHI, 

IRWA, and AI. 

Frequency: This is a one-time survey. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: The estimated average burden 

per response is 30 minutes. This 

includes the time needed to complete 

the questionnaire and the follow-up 

survey. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: The estimated total annual 

burden for all respondents is 45 hours. 

Public Comments Invited: Interested 

parties are invited to send comments 

regarding any aspect of this information 

collection, including but not limited to: 

(1) The necessity and utility of the 

information collection for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

FHWA; (2) the accuracy of the estimated 

burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the collected 

information; and (4) ways to minimize 

the collection burden, including the use 

of electronic technology without 

reducing the quality of the collected 

information. Comments submitted in 

response to this notice will be 

summarized and/or included in the 

request for OMB’s clearance of this 

information collection. 

Privacy Act: 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://dms.dot.gov.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.48.

James R. Kabel, 

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis 

Division.

[FR Doc. 04–23549 Filed 10–20–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration 

[Docket No. FHWA–2004–18785] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Request for Comments; 

Clearance of a New Information 

Collection; Evaluate the Effects of 

Appraisal Waivers

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

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 

December 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by DOT DMS Docket Number 

FHWA–2004–18785 by any of the 

following methods: 

• Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov.

Follow the instructions for submitting 

comments on the DOT electronic docket 

site. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility; 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 

Room PL–401, Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Room PL–401 on 

the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received, go to http://

dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL–

401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 

Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Reginald Bessmer, 202–366–2037, 

Office of Real Estate Services, Federal 

Highway Administration, Department of 

Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, 

SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office 

hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Evaluate the Effects of Appraisal 

Waivers. 

Abstract: The Uniform Relocation 

Assistance and Real Property 

Acquisition Properties Act of 1970, as 

amended, provides that ‘‘Real property 

shall be appraised before the initiation 

of negotiations, and that the owner, or 

the owner’s designated representative 

shall be given an opportunity to 

accompany the appraiser during the 

appraiser’s inspection of the property, 

except that the head of the lead agency 

may prescribe a procedure to waive the 

appraisal in cases involving the 

acquisition by sale or donation of 

property with a low fair market value.’’

The appraisal waiver policy is based on 

the premise that administrative costs, 

particularly appraisal costs, should not 

be a high proportion, or even exceed the 

value of the actual real property to be 

acquired. The procedure to waive the 

appraisal is specified in 49 CFR 

24.102(c) and allows agencies acquiring 

real property to ‘‘* * * determine that 

an appraisal is unnecessary because the 

valuation problem is uncomplicated and 

the fair market value is estimated at 

$2,500 or less, based on a review of 

available data.’’ The Federal Highway 

61902 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 203 / Thursday, October 21, 2004 / Notices 

Administration (FHWA) has expanded 

this policy through 49 CFR 24.7, Federal 

agency waiver of regulations, to allow 

the State Departments of Transportation, 

at their request, to raise the appraisal 

waiver threshold to a maximum of 

$10,000 and more recently, to a 

maximum of $25,000. This information 

collection involves a survey to 

determine the impact of FHWA’s 

appraisal waiver policy on the 

acquisition of real property by 

agreements with owners, subsequent 

litigation (eminent domain), consistent 

treatment for owners, and public 

confidence in Federal land acquisition 

practices. Also, the FHWA seeks to 

determine the impacts that the FHWA’s 

appraisal waiver procedures may have 

on the State DOTs’ operations. The 

information to be collected will be used 

to determine whether the appraisal 

waiver policy, as implemented by the 

FHWA through its State Department of 

Transportation partners, is 

accomplishing its intended goals. This 

includes, minimizing administrative 

costs, expediting the acquisition of real 

property, avoiding litigation, and 

maintaining consistent treatment for 

owners. The information will also help 

identify and analyze the impact of 

unknown and unintended consequences 

of the appraisal waiver program, as 

implemented by the FHWA. 

Respondents: 50 State Departments of 

Transportation, the District of Columbia 

and Puerto Rico (Right-of-Way 

Department). 

Frequency: This is a one-time survey. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 3 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 156 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. 

Privacy Act: 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://dms.dot.gov.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.48.

Issued On: October 7, 2004. 

James R. Kabel, 

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis 

Division.

[FR Doc. 04–23550 Filed 10–20–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs 

Administration 

[Docket No. RSPA–98–4470] 

Pipeline Safety: Meetings of the 

Pipeline Safety Advisory Committees

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety, 

Research and Special Programs 

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice; Meetings of the 

Technical Pipeline Safety Standards 

Committee and the Technical 

Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety 

Standards Committee. 

SUMMARY: Meetings of the Technical 

Pipeline Safety Standards Committee 

(TPSSC) and the Technical Hazardous 

Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards 

Committee (THLPSSC) will be held on 

December 14 and 15, 2004, at the 

Marriott Washington, 1221 22nd Street, 

NW., Washington, DC. The Office of 

Pipeline Safety (OPS) will provide 

briefings on pending rulemakings and 

regulatory initiatives. The advisory 

committees will discuss and vote on 

proposed rulemakings.

ADDRESSES: Members of the public may 

attend the meetings at the Marriott 

Washington, 1221 22nd Street, NW., 

Washington, DC. The phone number for 

Marriott reservations is 1–800–228–

9290. Reservations by attendees must be 

received on or before November 22. 

Priority is given to advisory committee 

members and State pipeline safety 

representatives for a limited block of 

rooms. Any additional information or 

changes will be posted on the OPS Web 

page approximately 15 days before the 

meeting date at http://ops.dot.gov.

An opportunity will be provided for 

the public to make short statements on 

the topics under discussion. Anyone 

wishing to make an oral statement 

should notify Jean Milam, (202) 493–

0967, not later than November 16, 2004, 

on the topic of the statement and the 

length of the presentation. The 

presiding officer at each meeting may 

deny any request to present an oral 

statement and may limit the time of any 

presentation. 

Information on Services for Individuals 

With Disabilities 

For information on facilities or 

services for individuals with disabilities 

or to request special assistance at the 

meeting, contact Jean Milam at (202) 

493–0967. 

Comments: You may submit written 

comments on the subject matter of the 

advisory committee meetings by mail or 

deliver to the Dockets Facility, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Room 

PL–401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. It is open 

from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. You 

also may submit written comments to 

the docket electronically. To do so, log 

onto the following Internet Web 

address: http://dms.dot.gov. Click on 

‘‘Help & Information’’ for instructions 

on how to file a document 

electronically. All written comments 

should reference docket number RSPA–

98–4470. Anyone who would like 

confirmation of mailed comments must 

include a self-addressed stamped 

postcard. 

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://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Whetsel, OPS, (202) 366–4431 or 

Richard Huriaux, OPS, (202) 366–4565, 

regarding the subject matter of this 

notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

TPSSC and THLPSSC are statutorily 

mandated advisory committees that 

advise OPS on proposed safety 

standards for gas and hazardous liquid 

pipelines. These advisory committees 

are constituted in accordance with 

section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. 

app. 1). The committees consist of 15 

members—five each representing 

government, industry, and the public. 

The TPSSC and THLPSSC are tasked 

with determining reasonableness, costeffectiveness, and practicability of 

proposed pipeline regulations. 

Federal law requires that OPS submit 

cost-benefit analyses and risk