45186 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices 

development and promotion. Interviews 

revealed: (1) inconsistent preparation 

and use of an ITP as is required for 

employees; (2) perceptions that training 

requirements for flexing from an 

Analyst 1 to Analyst 2 position are 

clearly spelled out, but not for 

advancement beyond an Analyst 2 

position; (3) concerns that training 

opportunities are too limited or not 

available; and (4) some employees have 

not had a performance review in several 

years. Based on this input, the Audit 

Team suggests that the DOT&PF focus 

on additional ways to improve 

implementation of their Training Plan. 

d) Regarding training needs, DOT&PF 

staff indicated a need for Section 4(f) 

training, according to interviews in all 

three regions and SEO. Multiple 

interviewees also identified a need for 

training in noise and floodplains. 

Training needs cited at a lesser 

frequency included ESA, cumulative 

effects, Section 408, EA/EIS, QA/QC, 

Planning and Environmental Linkages, 

stream enhancement, NEPA, conflict 

resolution and mediation. Given that the 

DOT&PF is now implementing 

additional environmental review 

responsibilities based on the MOU, and 

staff recognize the need to be prepared 

to embrace those responsibilities, the 

Audit Team urges the DOT&PF to 

address these training needs 

expeditiously, and be sensitive to 

ongoing training needs. 

Performance Measures 

The DOT&PF has demonstrated it has 

taken an active interest in developing, 

monitoring, and implementing the 

performance measures required by the 

MOU. The March 21, 2018, DOT&PF 

NEPA Assignment Self-Assessment 

Summary Report contained the results 

of the DOT&PF’s first report of its 

assessment of NEPA Assignment and 

DOT&PF procedures compliance. The 

DOT&PF’s March 1, 2017, response to 

FHWA’s PAIR included answers to 

questions posed on performance 

measures. Because of the information 

provided in these two documents, 

combined with the fact that a relatively 

brief period of time has transpired since 

the MOU became effective, the Audit 

Team has not identified any 

observations or successful practices 

here. However, the following discussion 

describes the current status of the 

DOT&PF’s performance measures. 

The DOT&PF’s performance measure 

to assess change in communication 

among the DOT&PF, Federal and State 

resource agencies, and the public 

resulting from assumption of 

responsibilities under this MOU was 

based on the experience of a single EA 

project, according to DOT&PF’s selfassessment summary report. Through 

interviews, the Audit Team learned that 

the DOT&PF believes the resource 

agencies will observe little change in 

communication and consultation 

because DOT&PF had been operating 

under a 23 U.S.C. 326 MOU since 

September 2009. 

The DOT&PF’s self-assessment 

summary report suggests some early 

efficiencies have been observed, but the 

consensus from interviews was that it is 

too early to determine if substantial 

increased efficiencies and timeliness 

will result from the program. Some 

individuals indicated that over time the 

program should result in increased 

efficiencies and timeliness. 

Through interviews, the Audit Team 

learned that data for performance 

measures are being collected and 

presented quarterly to DOT&PF 

management for use in decisionmaking. 

Also, that DOT&PF believes the existing 

performance measures are 

comprehensive and adequate. The 

DOT&PF leadership said that 

performances measures will be 

evaluated annually to determine if 

adjustment is needed. 

Legal Sufficiency 

Interviews with both staff and 

management attorneys emphasized the 

legal sufficiency review process 

emulated FHWA’s ‘‘early legal 

involvement’’ concept, i.e., bringing a 

lawyer onto the reviewing team at an 

early stage in project development. We 

learned that DOT&PF staff do not need 

to go through management to talk to an 

attorney, but may call or email at any 

time (and, with regard to EAs, have 

done so under NEPA Assignment). 

Management noted specific review steps 

are to take place at the both draft and 

final stages for assigned EISs and 

Individual Section 4(f) Evaluations. 

At this time, the Alaska Department of 

Law (DOL) expressed no intention of 

expanding the number of staff attorneys 

assigned to document review; however, 

it has a contingency plan should 

workload increase significantly in 

future. Specifically, should DOT&PF be 

sued over an assigned project, DOL 

tentatively intends to contract with 

outside counsel (per 23 U.S.C. 

327[a][2][G]) to handle the litigation 

rather than make a single staff attorney 

divide his time between document 

review and defending the case. The 

Transportation Section attorney would 

act as support counsel to the litigators 

in a manner similar to the way FHWA 

counsel provide litigation support to the 

U.S. Department of Justice when it 

defends FHWA’s environmental 

decisions in court. (MOU Section 6.1.1) 

Next Steps 

The FHWA provided this draft audit 

report to DOT&PF for a 14-day review 

and comment period. The Audit Team 

considered DOT&PF comments in 

developing this draft audit report. The 

FHWA will publish a notice in the 

Federal Register for a 30-day comment 

period in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 

327(g). No later than 60 days after the 

close of the comment period, FHWA 

will respond to all comments submitted 

to finalize this draft audit report 

pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327(g)(B). The 

FHWA will publish the final audit 

report in the Federal Register. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19184 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Community Development Financial 

Institutions Fund 

Notice of Information Collection and 

Request for Public Comment 

ACTION: Notice and request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of the 

Treasury, as part of its continuing effort 

to reduce paperwork and respondent 

burden, invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to take this 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Currently, the 

Community Development Financial 

Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), 

Department of the Treasury, is soliciting 

comments concerning the Community 

Development Financial Institutions 

Program—Certification Application, 

which will be submitted through the 

Awards Management Information 

System (AMIS). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before November 5, 2018 

to be assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments via 

email to Tanya McInnis, Acting Program 

Manager for the Office of Certification, 

Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation, 

CDFI Fund, at ccme@cdfi.treas.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tanya McInnis, Acting Program 

Manager for the Office of Certification, 

Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation, 

Community Development Financial 

Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of 

the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave. 

NW, Washington DC 20220 or by phone 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices 45187 

at (202) 653–0300. Other information 

regarding the CDFI Fund and its 

programs may be obtained through the 

CDFI Fund’s website at http://

www.cdfifund.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Community Development 

Financial Institutions Program— 

Certification Application. 

OMB Number: 1559–0028. 

Type of Review: Regular Review. 

Abstract: A certified Community 

Development Financial Institution 

(CDFI) is a specialized financial 

institution that works in market niches 

that are underserved by traditional 

financial institutions. CDFIs provide a 

unique range of financial products and 

services in economically distressed 

target markets, such as mortgage 

financing for low-income and first-time 

homebuyers and not-for-profit 

developers, flexible underwriting and 

risk capital for needed community 

facilities, and technical assistance, 

commercial loans and investments to 

small start-up or expanding businesses 

in low-income areas. CDFIs include 

regulated institutions such as 

community development banks and 

credit unions, and non-regulated 

institutions such as loan and venture 

capital funds. 

CDFI certification is a designation 

conferred by the CDFI Fund and is a 

requirement for accessing financial and 

technical assistance awards from the 

CDFI Fund through the CDFI Program 

and Native American CDFI Assistance 

Program, as well as certain benefits 

under the Bank Enterprise Award 

Program, to support an organization’s 

established community development 

financing programs. A financial 

institution seeking to become a certified 

CDFI and qualify to access assistance 

from the CDFI Fund must complete the 

CDFI Certification Application. The 

revised application includes four (4) 

administrative changes designed to 

provide clarification and consistency to 

better understand the work of the CDFI 

Certification Applicant. 

Affected Public: Businesses or other 

for-profit institutions, non-profit 

entities, and State, local, and Tribal 

entities participating in CDFI Fund 

programs. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

300. 

Estimated Annual Time per 

Respondent: 37.5 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 11,250 hours. 

Request for Comments: Comments 

submitted in response to this notice will 

be summarized and/or included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. Comments are invited on 

all aspects of the information collection, 

but commentators may wish to focus 

particular attention on: (a) The cost for 

CDFIs to operate and maintain the 

services/systems required to provide the 

required information; (b) ways to 

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 

of the information to be collected; (c) 

whether the collection of information is 

necessary for the proper evaluation of 

the effectiveness and impact of the CDFI 

Fund’s programs, including whether the 

information has practical utility; (d) the 

accuracy of the CDFI Fund’s estimate of 

the burden of the collection of 

information, and; (e) ways to minimize 

the burden of the collection of 

information including through the use 

of technology. 

Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4703, 4703 note, 

4704, 4706, 4707, 4717; 12 CFR part 1805. 

Mary Ann Donovan, 

Director, Community Development Financial 

Institutions Fund. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19194 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4810–70–P 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES