80 FR 51254 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects (Renewal)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 163 (August 24, 2015)

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), ``Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2130.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0561) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is approved through August 31, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (80 FR 9454) on February 23, 2015 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51254-51255]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20786]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0269; FRL 9929-63-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Transportation Conformity Determinations for 
Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and 
Projects (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Transportation Conformity 
Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, 
Programs and Projects (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2130.05, OMB Control No. 
2060-0561) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is approved 
through August 31, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via 
the Federal Register (80 FR 9454) on February 23, 2015 during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its 
estimated burden and cost to the public.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 23, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2007-0269, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method) or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Astrid Larsen, Transportation and 
Climate Division, State Measures and Transportation Planning Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 
48105; telephone number: 734-214-4812; fax number: 734-214-4052; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that 
the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this 
ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in 
person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 
202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, 
visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: Transportation conformity is required under Clean Air Act 
section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) to ensure that federally supported 
transportation activities are consistent with the purpose of the State 
Air Quality Implementation plan (SIP). Transportation activities 
include transportation plans, Transportation Improvement Programs 
(TIPs), and federally funded or approved highway or transit projects. 
Conformity to the purpose of the SIP means that transportation 
activities will not cause or contribute to new air quality violations, 
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the relevant 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) or interim milestones. 
Transportation conformity applies under EPA's conformity regulations at

[[Page 51255]]

40 CFR part 93, subpart A, to areas that are designated 
nonattainmentand to those redesignated to attainment after 1990 for the 
following transportation-related criteria pollutants: Ozone, 
particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon 
monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The EPA published 
the original transportation conformity rule on November 24, 1993 (58 FR 
62188), and subsequently published several revisions. EPA develops the 
conformity regulations in coordination with the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The 
federal government needs information collected under these regulations 
to ensure that metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and federal 
transportation actions are consistent with state air quality goals.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Metropolitan Planning Organizations 
(MPOs), local transit agencies, state departments of transportation, 
and state and local air quality agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (Clean Air Act 
section 176(c) ((42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) and 40 CFR parts 51 and 93).
    Estimated number of respondents: 126 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annually, occasionally.
    Total estimated burden: 60,548 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $3,596,553 (per year), includes zero 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 27,856 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to an adjustment in project level 
conformity, decreased transportation conformity analysis, and a 
transition from MOVES2010 to MOVES 2014.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-20786 Filed 8-21-15; 8:45 am]
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