[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 180 (Friday, September 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47986-47987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22480]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2009-0096]


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 November 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
2009-0096 by any of the following methods:
    Web Site: 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: Marshall Wainright, 202-366-4842, or 
Arnold Feldman, 202-366-2028, Office of Real Estate Services, 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: 2009 Business Relocation Assistance Retrospective Study.
    Background: Among benefits included in relocation assistance under 
the Uniform Act is a payment, not to exceed $10,000, to assist 
displaced businesses in reestablishing at a new location. The Uniform 
Act also includes a fixed payment for moving expenses not to exceed 
$20,000 in lieu of the payments for actual reasonable moving and 
reestablishment related expenses. The Uniform Act benefit levels were 
last revised in 1989. Since that time, displaced business moves have 
become increasingly complex and costly. HEPR, the General Accounting 
Office (GAO) and several States have done recent research into the 
costs born by businesses that are required to relocate as a result of 
federally funded projects and programs. The general conclusion is that 
the Uniform Act benefit levels are inadequate. For example the GAO 
recently reported on the need for an update of benefit levels in 
Eminent Domain, Information about its Uses and Effect on Communities 
and Property Owners Is Limited (GAO-07-28). The report communicates in 
several points, including discussions on pages 4 and 16, that Uniform 
Act benefits available to business are considered inadequate by 
interviewees.
    The data collected utilizing the following interview document would 
identify the name, location and type of business; actual costs that a 
business incurs which would be reimbursable if not for the statutory 
maximum reestablishment expenses or the additional in-lieu eligibility 
that a business would be eligible to receive as well as the amount of 
the relocation assistance the business received as a reimbursement 
through the relocation program. Interviews with selected participants 
will be conducted over a one year period.
    Respondents: Approximately 300 participants to be interviewed in a 
one year.
    Frequency: One collection from each participant.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Approximately 4 hours per 
participant over a year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 1200 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.


[[Page 47987]]


    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: September 14, 2009.
Judith Kane,
Acting Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. E9-22480 Filed 9-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P