Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices 1917 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Commercial Space Transportation 

Advisory Committee—Public 

Teleconference 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Commercial Space 

Transportation Advisory Committee 

Teleconference. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, notice is 

hereby given of a teleconference of the 

Business/Legal Working Group (BLWG) 

of the Commercial Space Transportation 

Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). 

DATES: The teleconference will take 

place on Friday, January 25, 2013, from 

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard 

Time. 

ADDRESSES: The teleconference call-in 

number and passcode will be posted by 

approximately one week prior to the 

teleconference date at the following 

Web site link: http://www.faa.gov/ 

about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ 

ast/advisory_committee/. Individuals 

who participate in the teleconference 

should contact Paul Eckert, Designated 

Federal Officer (DFO), by email 

approximately 15 minutes before the 

call begins, using the email address 

provided in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

Eckert, Office of Commercial Space 

Transportation (AST), 800 

Independence Avenue SW., Room 331, 

Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 

267–8055; Email paul.eckert@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of this call is to discuss how to 

respond to a request to COMSTAC by 

the FAA Office of Commercial Space 

Transportation (FAA/AST), regarding 

how best to conduct a review of the 

Office’s methodology for calculation of 

Maximum Probable Loss (MPL). The 

FAA/AST request to COMSTAC took 

place following a 2012 Government 

Accountability Office (GAO) report 

titled ‘‘Commercial Space Launches— 

FAA Should Update How It Assesses 

Federal Liability Risk.’’ This report 

included a recommendation calling for 

FAA/AST to carry out periodic reviews 

of its MPL methodology. GAO further 

stated that FAA/AST should consider 

using external experts in the course of 

an MPL review. 

The MPL represents an estimate of the 

maximum probable cost of damage to 

life and property, in the event of a 

launch mishap. MPL calculation has 

considerable significance, because the 

figure is used to determine the financial 

responsibility requirements of each 

launch license or experimental permit 

holder. While AST believes its current 

MPL methodology has been effective, 

GAO’s recommendation to conduct a 

review of the methodology is prudent 

given the growth of the commercial 

space transportation industry and the 

amount of time that has passed since 

MPL modification. 

In addition to or in lieu of 

teleconference participation, interested 

members of the public may submit 

relevant written statements for 

COMSTAC to consider, in compliance 

with advisory committee procedures. 

Statements may address the issues 

mentioned above or additional issues 

that may be relevant for the U.S. 

commercial space transportation 

industry. Interested parties wishing to 

submit written statements regarding the 

January 25, 2013 teleconference should 

contact Paul Eckert, DFO (the Contact 

Person listed below) in writing (i.e., by 

mail or email) by January 18, 2013. 

Written statements should be supplied 

in the following formats: one hard copy 

with original signature or one electronic 

copy via email. 

Individuals who plan to participate 

and need special assistance should 

inform the Contact Person listed below 

in advance of the meeting. 

Complete information regarding 

COMSTAC is available on the FAA Web 

site at: http://www.faa.gov/about/ 

office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/ 

advisory_committee/. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 2, 

2013. 

George C. Nield, 

Associate Administrator for Commercial 

Space Transportation. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00279 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

[Docket No. FHWA–2013–0001] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Request for Comments for a 

New Information Collection 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: 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 

published a Federal Register Notice 

with a 60-day public comment period 

on this information collection on June 

28, 2012. We are required to publish 

this notice in the Federal Register by 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Please submit comments by 

February 8, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 

within 30 days to the Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 725 

17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, 

Attention DOT Desk Officer. 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 

burden; (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. 

All comments should include the 

Docket number FHWA 2013–0001. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James A. Cheatham, 

james.cheatham@dot.gov, 202–366– 

6221, Office of Planning, Environment, 

and Realty, Federal Highway 

Administration, Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Assessment of Transportation 

Planning Agency Needs, Capabilities, 

and Capacity. 

Background: FHWA will collect 

information on the current state of the 

practice, data, methods, and systems 

used by state, metropolitan, regional, 

local, and tribal transportation planning 

entities to support their required 

planning process in accordance with 

Title 23 United States Code 134 and 

135. This includes, but is not limited to, 

information to support transportation 

research, capacity building, data 

collection, planning, travel modeling, 

and performance management. This also 

includes information about how data is 

shared between planning agencies and 

how it is processed and used in the 

planning context. Questionnaires will 

be sent to State DOT headquarters and 

districts, Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations, Regional Planning 

Organizations, and Tribal Governments. 

FHWA anticipates that one 

representative from each agency will 

take approximately 30 minutes to 

complete up to 4 questionnaires each 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with 
1918 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices 

year. The questionnaires will be 

administered via the Internet and 

invitations to participate in the 

questionnaire will be distributed via 

email. 

This information, once compiled, will 

allow the FHWA to better understand 

the existing capabilities that agencies 

across the country have in support of 

the planning process and the readiness 

they possess to handle new and ongoing 

challenges. As a result of the collected 

information, FHWA will focus its efforts 

and resources on providing targeted and 

meaningful support for planning and 

readiness nationwide. Additionally, 

FHWA will ensure that excellent 

planning practices are identified will be 

shared broadly across the country. 

Respondents: Respondents are 

representatives of State DOT 

headquarters and districts, Metropolitan 

Planning Organizations, Regional 

Planning Organizations, and Tribal 

Governments. 

Respondents: 950 respondents 

annually. 

Frequency: 4 per year for 3 years. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: Approximately 30 minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: Up to 1,900 hours annually. 

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 

burden; (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 

computer 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 4, 2013. 

Michael Howell, 

Information Collection Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00240 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

[Docket No. FHWA–2012–0126] 

Public-Private Partnerships Public 

Meeting and Request for Comment 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Public meeting notice; request 

for comment. 

SUMMARY: The USDOT/FHWA is tasked 

by MAP–21 to develop ‘‘standard 

public-private partnership transaction 

model contracts for the most popular 

types of public-private partnerships for 

the development, financing, 

construction and operation of 

transportation facilities.’’ We invite the 

public to provide ideas and comments 

on what should be included or excluded 

from such model public-private 

partnership (P3) contracts. The 

comments can be made to the docket or 

at a Listening Session in the District of 

Columbia. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before May 31, 2013. Late comments 

will be considered to the extent 

practicable. The Listening Session will 

be conducted on Wednesday, January 

16, 2013, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., 

e.t. 

ADDRESSES: 

Comment Submission: 

Mail or hand deliver comments to the 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Dockets Management Facility, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, or fax comments 

to (202) 493–2251. Alternatively, 

comments may be submitted via the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// 

www.regulations.gov (follow the on-line 

instructions for submitting comments). 

All comments should include the 

docket number that appears in the 

heading of this document. All 

comments received will be available for 

examination and copying at the above 

address from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. Those desiring notification of 

receipt of comments must include a selfaddressed, stamped postcard or you 

may print the acknowledgment page 

that appears after submitting comments 

electronically. All comments received 

into any docket may be searched in 

electronic format by the name of the 

individual submitting the comment (or 

signing the comment, if submitted on 

behalf of an association, business, labor 

union, etc.). Persons making comments 

may review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 

65, Number 70, Pages 19477–78). 

Listening Session Location: 

The listening session will be held at 

the U.S. Department of Transportation 

located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information regarding this notice 

please contact Prabhat Diksit via email 

at Prabhat.diksit@dot.gov or via 

telephone at (720) 963–3202. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Public-private partnerships are 

contractual arrangements between 

public and private sector entities that 

allow for greater participation by the 

private sector in the delivery of surface 

transportation projects and services. 

Generally, in addition to designing or 

building a project, which is traditional, 

a private partner in a P3 may be 

involved in designing, constructing, 

financing, operating and maintaining 

the project. By transferring certain risks 

and responsibilities to the private 

partner, P3s can result in more efficient 

and effective project delivery. However, 

P3 contracts are complex and are of 

much longer duration than traditional 

construction contracts. Their terms and 

conditions address many requirements 

not covered by traditional construction 

contracts such as financing 

arrangements and performance during a 

concession period, among others. Public 

agencies generally acquire special 

expertise to ensure that they can 

successfully negotiate P3 agreements. 

Congress, recognizing both the growing 

interest in this delivery option, as well 

as the inherent complexities in P3 

agreements, tasked the USDOT, via the 

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st 

Century Act (MAP–21), to develop 

‘‘standard public-private partnership 

model contracts’’ and to ‘‘encourage 

states, public transportation agencies 

and other public officials to use the 

model contracts as a base template’’. 

II. Purpose of This Notice 

Section 1534(d) of MAP–21, enacted 

October 1, 2012, requires the USDOT to 

develop model P3 contracts that could 

serve as a base template and guide 

States and other public transportation 

providers in developing their own P3 

contracts. The legislation states: 

(d) STANDARD TRANSACTION 

CONTRACTS.— 

(1) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 18 

months after the date of enactment of this 

Act, the Secretary shall develop standard 

public-private partnership transaction model 

contracts for the most popular types of 

public-private partnerships for the 

development, financing, construction, and 

operation of transportation facilities. 

(2) USE.—The Secretary shall encourage 

States, public transportation agencies, and 

other public officials to use the model 

contracts as a base template when developing 

their own public-private partnership 

agreements for the development, financing, 

construction, and operation of transportation 

facilities. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with