[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30898-30899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13226]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2010-0057]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation FHWA invites public 
comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and 
Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection: SAFETEA-LU 
Section 6009 Phase 2 Implementation Study Survey. The information to be 
collected for this study will be used to satisfy a Congressional 
mandate in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to study and submit a 
Report to Congress on the implementation of SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 and 
its amendments. The survey results will allow U.S. DOT to fulfill the 
implementation study requirement. We are required to publish this 
notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by August 2, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
0057 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., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Braegelmann, FHWA Office of 
Project Development and Environmental

[[Page 30899]]

Review, (202) 366-1701. Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. 
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 Phase 2 Implementation Study Survey.
    Background: Section 6009 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) 
amended existing Section 4(f) legislation to simplify the process and 
approval of projects that have only de minimis impacts on lands 
protected by Section 4(f). SAFETEA-LU also required the U.S. Department 
of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to promulgate regulations to clarify the 
factors to be considered and the standards to be applied in determining 
the prudence and feasibility of alternatives that avoid uses of Section 
4(f) properties. As mandated in the legislation, U.S. DOT conducted a 
study on the implementation of new Section 4(f) provisions and its 
amendments (herein referred to as Phase I). During development of the 
Phase I study, U.S. DOT determined that sufficient information would 
not be available during Phase I to adequately evaluate the new prudent 
and feasible standards. Based on this fact, along with recommendations 
provided by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) on strengthening 
the Phase I findings, U.S. DOT is requesting approval to sponsor a one-
time survey on implementation of Section 6009 and its amendments. The 
U.S. DOT and John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 
(Volpe Center) have designed the survey and will submit the survey plan 
and its associated information collection burden to OMB for approval.
    The information collection supports the U.S. DOT's Environmental 
Stewardship Strategic Goal. U.S. DOT will be better able to evaluate 
how SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 may improve environmental decision-making 
and expedite environmental reviews of transportation infrastructure 
projects. The survey will solicit information on: (1) The post-
construction effectiveness of impact mitigation and avoidance 
commitments adopted as part of projects where a Section 4(f) de minimis 
impact finding or Section 4(f) finding under the revised Section 4(f) 
regulations was made; and, (2) the processes developed to address the 
Section 4(f) de minimis impacts and revise the feasible and prudent 
standards and the efficiencies that may result. U.S. DOT will use the 
results to evaluate the effectiveness and any resulting efficiencies of 
SAFETEA-LU Section 6009 and its amendments.
    Respondents: The proposed survey will be a web-based survey located 
on the Survey Monkey Web site (http://www.surveymonkey.com). Staff 
members at state and local transportation agencies and transportation 
authorities, State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), Federal, State 
and local agencies with jurisdiction over park, recreation areas, or 
wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and citizen/advocacy groups will be 
asked to complete the survey. U.S. DOT estimates that approximately 120 
participants (30 state DOTs, 15 transit and other transportation 
agencies, 25 SHPOs, 25 park and recreation officials, and 25 citizen 
groups) will complete the survey.
    Frequency: This is a one-time collection.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Approximately 20 minutes per 
participant for the one-time survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 40 hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the U.S. DOT's performance, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the U.S. DOT's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
information collection; (3) ways 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: May 27, 2010.
Juli Huynh,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-13226 Filed 6-1-10; 8:45 am]
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