Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 19 / Monday, February 1, 2021 / Notices 7767 

projects, and processes that use FHWA 

funding sources to go beyond regulatory 

compliance and achieve Right-of-Way 

excellence. Excellence in Right-of-Way 

awardees have contributed to 

outstanding innovations that enhance 

the right-of-way professional’s ability to 

meet the challenges associated with 

acquiring real property for Federal-aid 

projects. 

Similarly, FHWA established the 

Excellence in Right-of-Way Awards 

Program to honor the use of innovative 

practices and outstanding achievements 

associated with highway improvement 

projects as it relates to the Right-of-Way 

program. The goal of the program is to 

showcase exemplary and innovative 

projects, programs, initiatives, and 

practices that successfully integrate the 

consideration of the Right-of-Way 

program along with the association of 

the acquisition of land required to 

construct transportation facilities. 

Award: Anyone can nominate a 

project, process, person or group that 

has used Federal Highway 

Administration funding sources to make 

an outstanding contribution to 

transportation and the Right-of-Way 

field. The nominator is responsible for 

submitting an application form that 

summarizes the outstanding 

accomplishments of the entry. FHWA 

will use the collected information to 

evaluate, showcase, and enhance the 

public’s knowledge on addressing rightof-way challenges on transportation 

projects. Nominations will be reviewed 

by an independent panel of judges from 

varying backgrounds. It is anticipated 

that awards will be given every two 

years. The winners will be presented 

awards at the completion of the process. 

Respondents: Anyone who has used 

Federal Highway funding sources in the 

fifty states, the District of Columbia and 

Puerto Rico. 

Frequency: The information will be 

collected biennially. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 6 hours per respondent per 

application. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: It is expected that the 

respondents will complete 

approximately 50 applications for an 

estimated total of 600 annual burden 

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: January 26, 2021. 

Michael Howell, 

Information Collection Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01998 Filed 1–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2014–0102; FMCSA– 

2014–0104; FMCSA–2016–0002; FMCSA– 

2017–0057; FMCSA–2017–0061; FMCSA– 

2018–0135] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to renew exemptions for nine 

individuals from the hearing 

requirement in the Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for 

interstate commercial motor vehicle 

(CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable 

these hard of hearing and deaf 

individuals to continue to operate CMVs 

in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on November 30, 2020. The exemptions 

expire on November 30, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. Office 

hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Dockets 

Operations, (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Documents and Comments 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this notice as 

being available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Insert the 

docket number, FMCSA–2014–0102, 

FMCSA–2014–0104, FMCSA–2016– 

0002, FMCSA–2017–0057, FMCSA– 

2017–0061, or FMCSA–2018–0135, in 

the keyword box, and click ‘‘Search.’’ 

Next, click the ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ 

button and choose the document to 

review. If you do not have access to the 

internet, you may view the docket 

online by visiting Dockets Operations in 

Room W12–140 on the ground floor of 

the DOT West Building, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590–0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

ET, Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. To be sure someone is 

there to help you, please call (202) 366– 

9317 or (202) 366–9826 before visiting 

Dockets Operations. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), 

DOT solicits comments from the public 

to better inform its rulemaking process. 

DOT posts these comments, without 

edit, including any personal information 

the commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov, as described in 

the system of records notice (DOT/ALL– 

14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

www.transportation.gov/privacy. 

II. Background 

On November 18, 2020, FMCSA 

published a notice announcing its 

decision to renew exemptions for nine 

individuals from the hearing standard in 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) to operate a CMV 

in interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (85 FR 

73591). The public comment period 

ended on December 18, 2020, and no 

comments were received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

renewing these exemptions would 

achieve a level of safety equivalent to, 

or greater than, the level that would be 

achieved by complying with 

§ 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

§ 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV if 

that person first perceives a forced 

whispered voice in the better ear at not 

less than 5 feet with or without the use 

of a hearing aid or, if tested by use of 

an audiometric device, does not have an 

average hearing loss in the better ear 

greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 

Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a 

hearing aid when the audiometric 

device is calibrated to American 

National Standard (formerly ASA 

Standard) Z24.5—1951. 

This standard was adopted in 1970 

and was revised in 1971 to allow drivers 

to be qualified under this standard 

while wearing a hearing aid, 35 FR 

7768 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 19 / Monday, February 1, 2021 / Notices 

6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 

12857 (July 3, 1971). 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received no comments in this 

proceeding. 

IV. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the nine 

renewal exemption applications, 

FMCSA announces its decision to 

exempt the following drivers from the 

hearing requirement in § 391.41(b)(11). 

As of November 18, 2020, and in 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), the following nine individuals 

have satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

hearing requirement in the FMCSRs for 

interstate CMV drivers (85 FR 73591): 

Michael Arwood (TN) 

Christian DeNight (FL) 

James Dignan (IL) 

Michael Dohanish (OH) 

Bruce Dunn (LA) 

Scott Perdue (GA) 

Albert Pizana (CA) 

Adalberto Rodriguez (NY) 

Michael Smith (CO) 

The drivers were included in docket 

number FMCSA–2014–0102, FMCSA– 

2014–0104, FMCSA–2016–0002, 

FMCSA–2017–0057, FMCSA–2017– 

0061, or FMCSA–2018–0135. Their 

exemptions are applicable as of 

November 30, 2020, and will expire on 

November 30, 2022. 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b), each exemption will be valid 

for 2 years from the effective date unless 

revoked earlier by FMCSA. The 

exemption will be revoked if the 

following occurs: (1) The person fails to 

comply with the terms and conditions 

of the exemption; (2) the exemption has 

resulted in a lower level of safety than 

was maintained prior to being granted; 

or (3) continuation of the exemption 

would not be consistent with the goals 

and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b). 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2021–02019 Filed 1–29–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2021–0002] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Vision 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of denials. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to deny applications from 37 

individuals who requested an 

exemption from the vision standard in 

the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a CMV 

in interstate commerce. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. Office 

hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing materials in the 

docket, contact Dockets Operations, 

(202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Documents and Comments 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this notice as 

being available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

docket?D=FMCSA-2021-0002 and 

choose the document to review. If you 

do not have access to the internet, you 

may view the docket online by visiting 

Dockets Operations in Room W12–140 

on the ground floor of the DOT West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. To be 

sure someone is there to help you, 

please call (202) 366–9317 or (202) 366– 

9826 before visiting Dockets Operations. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), 

DOT solicits comments from the public 

to better inform its rulemaking process. 

DOT posts these comments, without 

edit, including any personal information 

the commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov, as described in 

the system of records notice (DOT/ALL– 

14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

www.transportation.gov/privacy. 

II. Background 

FMCSA received applications from 37 

individuals who requested an 

exemption from the vision standard in 

the FMCSRs. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and concluded that 

granting these exemptions would not 

provide a level of safety that would be 

equivalent to, or greater than, the level 

of safety that would be obtained by 

complying with § 391.41(b)(10). 

III. Basis for Exemption Determination 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), FMCSA may grant an 

exemption from the FMCSRs for no 

longer than a 5-year period if it finds 

such exemption would likely achieve a 

level of safety that is equivalent to, or 

greater than, the level that would be 

achieved absent such exemption. 

FMCSA grants exemptions from the 

FMCSRs for a 2-year period to align 

with the maximum duration of a 

driver’s medical certification. 

The Agency’s decision regarding these 

exemption applications is based on 

medical reports about the applicants’ 

vision, as well as their driving records 

and experience driving with the vision 

deficiency. 

IV. Conclusion 

The Agency has determined that these 

applicants do not satisfy the eligibility 

criteria or meet the terms and 

conditions of the Federal exemption and 

granting these exemptions would not 

provide a level of safety that would be 

equivalent to, or greater than, the level 

of safety that would be obtained by 

complying with § 391.41(b)(10). 

Therefore, the 37 applicants in this 

notice have been denied exemptions 

from the physical qualification 

standards in § 391.41(b)(10). 

Each applicant has, prior to this 

notice, received a letter of final 

disposition regarding his/her exemption 

request. Those decision letters fully 

outlined the basis for the denial and 

constitute final action by the Agency. 

This notice summarizes the Agency’s 

recent denials as required under 49 

U.S.C. 31315(b)(4) by periodically 

publishing names and reasons for 

denial. 

The following 18 applicants had no 

experience operating a CMV: 

Dut J. Acuoth (NY) 

Wyatt W. Brown (IA) 

James R. Bruner (AL) 

Gareth S. Collins (AZ) 

Maira A. Giraldo (TX) 

Richard E. Hordon (NH) 

Eddie Howard (NM) 

Chen N. Nguyen (IA) 

John R. Pruitt (AR) 

Martin K. Ramos (FL) 

Aaron Rot (TX) 

Adam L. Scorza (CA) 

Gabriel P. Serna (AZ) 

Shabria N. Shepherd (AL) 

Satvir Singh (NJ) 

Coltin Upchurch (KS) 

Aimable Vuningoma (TX) 

Caleb Zane (NY) 

The following 10 applicants did not 

have 3 years of experience driving a 

CMV on public highways with their 

vision deficiencies: