81_FR_17819 81 FR 17758 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

81 FR 17758 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 61 (March 30, 2016)

Page Range17758-17760
FR Document2016-07169

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a new information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on June 23, 2015. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17758-17760]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07169]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2016-0010]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for 
Approval of a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for approval of a new information collection.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request 
described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval of a new information collection. We published a Federal 
Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information 
collection on June 23, 2015. We are required to publish this notice in 
the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by April 29, 2016.

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

[[Page 17759]]

(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 No. FHWA-2016-0010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Nesbitt 
([email protected]), 202-366-1179, Office of Infrastructure, 
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: National Transportation Performance 
Management (TPM) Implementation Review, TPM Toolbox, and TPM State-of-
Practice Questionnaires.
    Type of request: New information collection requirement.
    Background: Moving The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st 
Century (MAP-21) Act and the subsequent Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation Act (FAST Act) transformed the Federal-aid highway 
program by establishing new requirements for transportation performance 
management to ensure the most efficient investment of Federal 
transportation funds. Transportation performance management increases 
the accountability and transparency of the Federal-aid highway program 
and provides for a framework to support improved investment decision 
making through a focus on performance outcomes for key national 
transportation goals. State transportation agencies (STAs) will be 
expected to use the information and data generated as a result of the 
new regulations to make better informed transportation planning and 
programming decisions. The new performance aspects of the Federal-aid 
program will allow FHWA to better communicate a national performance 
story and to more reliably assess the impacts of Federal funding 
investments.
    Under the ``National Transportation Performance Management (TPM) 
Implementation Review Survey, TPM State-of-Practice Questionnaires, and 
TPM Toolbox'' information collection request (ICR), the FHWA will 
collect information on the current state of the practice, data, 
methods, and systems used by State, metropolitan, regional, local, and/
or tribal transportation entities to support their TPM processes in 
accordance with 23 U.S.C. 119, 134-135, and 148-150, as amended by MAP-
21 and the FAST Act. This information will also be used to develop and 
deliver existing and future Federal Highway Programs through successful 
partnerships, value-added stewardship, and risk-based oversight. 
Underpinning this effort will be a robust focus on improving FHWA and 
its partners' capacity to implement performance provisions. The 
information collected from these activities will translate into having 
a better skilled workforce, effective supporting systems, and clearly 
articulated programs that are optimally positioned and equipped to 
deliver the FHWA's mission. In general, the components of the 
``National TPM Implementation Review Survey, TPM State-of-Practice 
Questionnaires, and TPM Toolbox'' will involve questions related to:
    1. TPM related implementation efforts, programs, and activities,
    2. Needs for TPM guidance and policy concerning MAP-21 and FAST 
provisions;
    3. TPM capacity building needs;
    4. Effectiveness implementing performance based planning and 
programming and TPM processes.
    The most consequential activity covered by this ICR is the 
``National TPM Implementation Review Survey,'' which is scheduled to be 
administered in 2016 and again several years later.

Overview

    In the summer of 2015, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 
published the National TPM Implementation Review Survey and Information 
Collection Request, Docket FHWA-2015-0013. In that 60-day Federal 
Register Notice (FRN), FHWA stated it would administer the first 
National TPM Implementation Review Survey in 2016 to establish a 
baseline and assess:
    1. FHWA and its partners' progress implementing MAP-21 performance 
provisions and related TPM best practices; and
    2. The effectiveness of performance-based planning and programming 
processes and transportation performance management.
    In that FRN, FHWA also stated that a second National TPM 
Implementation Review Survey will be conducted several years after the 
first to assess FHWA and its partners' progress in addressing any gaps 
or issues identified during the first survey. The findings from the 
first review survey will be used in a pair of statutory reports to 
Congress due in 2017 on the effectiveness of performance-based 
planning, programming processes, and transportation performance 
management (23 U.S.C. 119, 134(l)(2), and 135(h)(2)). The findings from 
the second survey will be used in a subsequent follow-up report. It is 
important to note that this is not a compliance review. The overall 
focus of the National TPM Implementation Review Survey is on the TPM 
and performance-based planning processes and practices used by STAs and 
MPOs, not the performance outcomes of those processes.
    FHWA received 20 comment letters and over 24 unique comments. While 
a number of concerns were expressed by the commenters, they generally 
supported the information collection request outlined in the FRN. 
Regarding the National TPM Implementation Review Survey, stakeholders 
were most concerned about the estimated burden of effort and time for 
administration of the survey. Based on those specific comments to the 
docket, it became clear that a majority of responding States, MPOs, and 
their respective associations want FHWA to: (1) ``coordinate with 
stakeholders when developing'' the design of any TPM surveys, 
questionnaires, or related instruments; (2) Provide more information on 
the type of questions to be asked as part of the National TPM 
Implementation Review Survey and any State-of-Practice Questionnaires; 
(3) Minimize the burden of effort to the greatest extent practicable; 
(4) Delay administration of National TPM Implementation Review Survey 
until after the final rulemakings; and (5) Share data from the National 
TPM Implementation Review Survey with States, MPOs, and their 
respective associations to support the development of federally and 
state funded TPM capacity building efforts.
    To address the first three concerns listed in the preceding 
paragraph, stakeholders can provide input on the design of National TPM 
Implementation Review Survey by:
    1. Submitting comments on the draft survey questions and survey 
design report to the docket.
    2. Participating in one of two webinar listening sessions on the 
design of the National TPM Implementation Review Survey. The date and 
time of these webinars will be advertised at www.fhwa.dot.gov/TPM. To 
receive an email notification announcing the date and time of these 
webinar listening sessions, please visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/TPM and 
subscribe to email updates.
    To address the concern on the timing of the National TPM 
Implementation Review Survey, FHWA decided to delay administering the 
review until after publication of the Statewide and Nonmetropolitan 
Transportation Planning; Metropolitan Transportation Planning Final 
Rulemaking.

[[Page 17760]]

    In addition to the more formal National TPM Implementation Review 
Survey, FHWA will conduct informal voluntary TPM State-of-Practice 
Questionnaires related to ongoing TPM policy and guidance, technical 
assistance, and capacity needs. To address concerns expressed by 
stakeholders regarding the burden of effort and administration of these 
additional questionnaires, FHWA is proposing to sequence the National 
TPM Implementation Review Survey and other State-of-the-Practice 
Questionnaires on a biennial cycle. Under this biennial cycle, the 
first National TPM Implementation Review Survey would be administered 
in 2016 and the follow-up in 2020. The smaller, less formal State-of-
the-Practice Questionnaires would be administered in 2018 and 2022. The 
State-of-the-Practice Questionnaires are essential to helping FHWA 
coordinate with its many stakeholders to reduce duplicative survey 
efforts as the industry works to implement and understand the TPM 
practices.
    Under this sequencing, the National TPM Implementation Review 
Survey will continue to serve the original purpose of allowing FHWA to 
evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to implement TPM and PBPP. The 
State-of-the-Practice Questionnaires will enable FHWA and its 
stakeholders to coordinate the collection of information necessary to 
advance the state-of-the-practice and further TPM capacity building 
efforts. This approach limits the number of TPM related surveys to 4 
over a number of years:
     National TPM Implementation Review Survey (Baseline): 
2016.
     State-of-the-Practice Questionnaires: 2018.
     National TPM Implementation Review Survey (Follow-up): 
2020.
     State-of-the-Practice Questionnaires: 2022.
    After each survey or questionnaire, FHWA and its stakeholders will 
explore how to better align the information collection requests with 
yet-to-be determined performance management reporting processes. The 
information will be collected from State, metropolitan, regional, 
local, and/or tribal transportation agencies via internet-based 
questionnaires or web applications and will be used to help FHWA and 
its partner organizations do the following:
     Strategically plan to meet ever growing demand for TPM 
technical assistance needs;
     Develop and refine TPM policy and guidance based on 
stakeholder feedback;
     Channel resources to meet capacity development and 
training needs; and
     Identify and prioritize TPM research needs.
    Lastly, as part of FHWA's ongoing technical assistance efforts, a 
TPM Toolbox is being created to help FHWA's partners self-assess and 
benchmark their TPM implementation progress, capabilities, and gaps. 
The TPM Toolbox will also help FHWA streamline the integration and 
administration of all the efforts described above. To maximize the 
effectiveness and efficiency of the TPM Toolbox, FHWA will collect 
business contact and organizational demographic (size of organization, 
location, etc.) information along with the responses submitted as part 
of the TPM Toolbox's self-assessment applications.
    Respondents: The 975 respondents estimate is based on soliciting 
input from 52 STA, 409 MPOS, and a sampling of other State and local 
transportation entities. In most cases, only STAs and MPOs will be 
surveyed.
    Frequency: Agencies will be solicited to provide information via a 
survey 1 time every two years. Additionally, transportation agencies 
may submit information more frequently by using the TPM Toolbox's self-
assessment tool.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The estimated average annual 
burden hours is up to 20 hours per response during a year with a 
survey/questionnaire request.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: The estimated total annual 
burden hours for all respondents is estimated to be 19,500 burden hours 
(975 respondents x 20 burden hours) per year with survey/questionnaire 
requests.
Professional Staff Time During a Survey Year
 20 hours/respondent x 975 respondents x 1 questionnaire during 
a survey year = 19,500 hours
Clerical Staff Time During a Survey Year
 2 hours/respondent x 975 respondents x 1 questionnaire during 
a survey year = 1,950 hours

    The aggregated associated salary cost to all respondents (975) 
during a survey year is estimated to be $1,032,213 based on an average 
salary of $38 per hour (approximately $79,000 per year) for 
professional staff and $18 per hour (approximately $37,000 per year) 
for clerical staff. Disaggregated, the total average annual cost per 
respondent during a survey year is estimated to be $1,058.68. The 
burden hours and costs are illustrated below.
Professional Staff Cost During a Survey Year
 All respondents: 19,500 hours x $38 per hour = $741,000
    [cir] Per respondent: (20 x $38 = $760)
Clerical Staff Cost During a Survey Year
 All respondents: 1,950 hours x $18 per hour = $35,100
    [cir] Per respondent (2 hours x $18 per hour = $36)
Total Annual Cost During a Survey Year
 Subtotal Direct Salaries (Professional + Clerical) $776,100
 Overhead/fringe benefits at 33%: $256,113
 Total annual respondents cost during survey year: $1,032,213
    [cir] Total average annual cost per respondent during survey year: 
$1,058.68

    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: March 25, 2016.
Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-07169 Filed 3-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P



                                                    17758                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2016 / Notices

                                                    a relocated threshold.3 Removal of a                    under Section 47106(c)(1)(A)(ii) if the               grant. Petitions involving a SBGP
                                                    dislocated threshold is not considered a                project is located in the community. If               project must include facts describing the
                                                    runway extension.4 The definition of                    land is disturbed in the community,                   extraordinary circumstances that they
                                                    major runway extension that appears in                  then the project is considered to be                  believe justify the Secretary entertaining
                                                    Order 5050.4B, ¶9.l will be used in                     located in that community. The courts                 the petition.
                                                    interpreting Section 47106(c)(1)(A)(ii).                have also provided instruction on when
                                                                                                            a project is located in a community. In               F. Agency Response
                                                    (4) Communities in Which the Project Is                 City of Bridgeton v. FAA, 212 F. 3d 448                  The FAA will provide a written
                                                    Located                                                 (8th Cir. 2000), the court determined                 response to a petition to the Secretary.
                                                       The term community is not defined in                 that a community in which there was no                The FAA may respond by outlining the
                                                    the statute. In the enabling legislation,               construction and no significant noise                 issues raised in the petition and
                                                    this provision was entitled ‘‘Public                    impact could not challenge the failure to             providing its responses either within the
                                                    Participation With Respect to Airport                   notify it that it could petition the                  environmental ROD, or it may elect to
                                                    Projects.’’ The term ‘‘community’’ will                 Secretary. Thus, outside the                          respond in a separate document.
                                                    be defined as a jurisdictional authority,               construction context, a project may be                  Authority: 49 U.S.C. 47106(c)(1)(A)(ii), 14
                                                    that is, a political subdivision of a state,            located in a community only if the                    CFR part 1.
                                                    such as a town, township, city, or                      project will have a significant impact on
                                                                                                                                                                    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 22,
                                                    county. Defining community as a                         the community. For example, where a                   2016.
                                                    jurisdictional authority is consistent                  project will cause a significant noise
                                                                                                                                                                  Elliott Black,
                                                    with the context of Section 47106(c).                   impact on a community, the project is
                                                    For example, in subsection (A)(i) the                   located in that community. If the project             Director, Office of Airport Planning and
                                                                                                                                                                  Programming APP–001.
                                                    statute speaks of ‘‘objectives of any                   does not create a significant impact in
                                                                                                            the community, the community will                     [FR Doc. 2016–07165 Filed 3–29–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    planning that the community has
                                                    carried out.’’ Typically, only political                have no right to petition the Secretary.              BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

                                                    subdivisions of a state, such as those                  E. Other Considerations
                                                    described above, would have planning
                                                                                                               There are currently ten states that                DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
                                                    authority. Similarly, in the FAA’s
                                                    experience, only a jurisdictional                       participate in the FAA’s State Block
                                                                                                            Grant Program (SBGP). Under the                       Federal Highway Administration
                                                    authority or political subdivision would
                                                    be considered for voting representation                 program, the State agency (usually the                [Docket No. FHWA–2016–0010]
                                                    on the airport’s governing authority. It is             aviation division of the state
                                                    only in the absence of such voting                      Department of Transportation) assumes                 Agency Information Collection
                                                    representation of a jurisdictional                      responsibility for administering AIP                  Activities: Notice of Request for
                                                    authority or political subdivision that                 grants for non-primary airports                       Approval of a New Information
                                                    the statute provides the opportunity to                 (including several categories of AIP                  Collection
                                                    petition the Secretary.                                 funds). See 49 U.S.C. Section 47128. As
                                                                                                                                                                  AGENCY: Federal Highway
                                                       Defining community as a                              part of the responsibility, the state
                                                                                                                                                                  Administration (FHWA), DOT.
                                                    jurisdictional authority or political                   assumes various responsibilities for the
                                                                                                            FAA including reviewing and approving                 ACTION: Notice of request for approval of
                                                    subdivision is also consistent with the                                                                       a new information collection.
                                                    definition of community in Order                        proposed changes to the Airport Layout
                                                    5050.4B, ¶1203(b)(1).                                   Plan (ALP) and compliance with the                    SUMMARY: The FHWA has forwarded the
                                                       Accordingly, only a political                        National Environmental Policy Act                     information collection request described
                                                    subdivision of a state that enjoys general              (NEPA).
                                                                                                                                                                  in this notice to the Office of
                                                                                                               The FAA interprets 49 U.S.C. Section
                                                    jurisdiction, or a Tribal government                                                                          Management and Budget (OMB) for
                                                                                                            47106(c)(1)(A)(ii) as not being generally
                                                    meets the definition of community in                                                                          approval of a new information
                                                                                                            applicable to a project approved and
                                                    this context. Political subdivisions of a                                                                     collection. We published a Federal
                                                                                                            administered as part of a state block
                                                    state that have a specific, substantive                                                                       Register Notice with a 60-day public
                                                                                                            grant. The plain language of this
                                                    authority, such as water districts or                                                                         comment period on this information
                                                                                                            statutory provision states that this
                                                    school districts, do not adequately                                                                           collection on June 23, 2015. We are
                                                                                                            Section is triggered when a proponent
                                                    represent the interests of the community                                                                      required to publish this notice in the
                                                                                                            submits a project grant application to
                                                    at large. They are not required to                                                                            Federal Register by the Paperwork
                                                                                                            the FAA. In the case of the SBGP, no
                                                    balance the interests of the whole                                                                            Reduction Act of 1995.
                                                                                                            such request is made because most of
                                                    community on a wide range of issues.                    the funds are given to the states as a                DATES: Please submit comments by
                                                    Rather, they seek to promote their                      block (except for AIP Discretionary                   April 29, 2016.
                                                    specific substantive interest.                          funds), and the state assumes                         ADDRESSES: You may send comments
                                                    Additionally, water districts or school                 responsibility for administering those                within 30 days to the Office of
                                                    districts would not normally be invited                 funds. Participants in the SBGP are                   Information and Regulatory Affairs,
                                                    to sit on an airport management board.                  required to engage communities                        Office of Management and Budget, 725
                                                    Thus, only a political subdivision of a                 according to FAA guidance and to                      17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503,
                                                    state which enjoys general jurisdiction                 circulate the draft EA if warranted.                  Attention DOT Desk Officer. You are
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    is a community entitled to file a petition              However, in cases where the project                   asked to comment on any aspect of this
                                                    under Section 47106(c)(1)(A)(ii).                       may involve a request for AIP                         information collection, including: (1)
                                                       Finally, under the statute, a                        Discretionary funding, or other                       Whether the proposed collection is
                                                    community is only eligible to petition                  extraordinary circumstances, the FAA                  necessary for the FHWA’s performance;
                                                      3 A relocated threshold leaves the pavement
                                                                                                            may determine that a community                        (2) the accuracy of the estimated
                                                    usable only for taxiing.                                meeting the requirements set forth                    burden; (3) ways for the FHWA to
                                                      4 Pavement beyond a dislocated threshold is           herein may have the right to petition the             enhance the quality, usefulness, and
                                                    available for takeoff.                                  Secretary in connection with an AIP                   clarity of the collected information; and


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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2016 / Notices                                           17759

                                                    (4) ways that the burden could be                       Programs through successful                           report. It is important to note that this
                                                    minimized, including the use of                         partnerships, value-added stewardship,                is not a compliance review. The overall
                                                    electronic technology, without reducing                 and risk-based oversight. Underpinning                focus of the National TPM
                                                    the quality of the collected information.               this effort will be a robust focus on                 Implementation Review Survey is on
                                                    All comments should include the                         improving FHWA and its partners’                      the TPM and performance-based
                                                    Docket No. FHWA–2016–0010.                              capacity to implement performance                     planning processes and practices used
                                                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        provisions. The information collected                 by STAs and MPOs, not the
                                                    Michael Nesbitt (michael.nesbitt@                       from these activities will translate into             performance outcomes of those
                                                    dot.gov), 202–366–1179, Office of                       having a better skilled workforce,                    processes.
                                                    Infrastructure, Federal Highway                         effective supporting systems, and                        FHWA received 20 comment letters
                                                    Administration, Department of                           clearly articulated programs that are                 and over 24 unique comments. While a
                                                    Transportation, 1200 New Jersey                         optimally positioned and equipped to                  number of concerns were expressed by
                                                    Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.                       deliver the FHWA’s mission. In general,               the commenters, they generally
                                                    Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,                 the components of the ‘‘National TPM                  supported the information collection
                                                    Monday through Friday, except Federal                   Implementation Review Survey, TPM                     request outlined in the FRN. Regarding
                                                    holidays.                                               State-of-Practice Questionnaires, and                 the National TPM Implementation
                                                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:                       TPM Toolbox’’ will involve questions                  Review Survey, stakeholders were most
                                                    National Transportation Performance                     related to:                                           concerned about the estimated burden
                                                    Management (TPM) Implementation                            1. TPM related implementation                      of effort and time for administration of
                                                    Review, TPM Toolbox, and TPM State-                     efforts, programs, and activities,                    the survey. Based on those specific
                                                                                                               2. Needs for TPM guidance and policy               comments to the docket, it became clear
                                                    of-Practice Questionnaires.
                                                       Type of request: New information                     concerning MAP–21 and FAST                            that a majority of responding States,
                                                    collection requirement.                                 provisions;                                           MPOs, and their respective associations
                                                                                                               3. TPM capacity building needs;                    want FHWA to: (1) ‘‘coordinate with
                                                       Background: Moving The Moving                           4. Effectiveness implementing
                                                    Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century                                                                        stakeholders when developing’’ the
                                                                                                            performance based planning and                        design of any TPM surveys,
                                                    (MAP–21) Act and the subsequent                         programming and TPM processes.
                                                    Fixing America’s Surface Transportation                                                                       questionnaires, or related instruments;
                                                                                                               The most consequential activity                    (2) Provide more information on the
                                                    Act (FAST Act) transformed the                          covered by this ICR is the ‘‘National
                                                    Federal-aid highway program by                                                                                type of questions to be asked as part of
                                                                                                            TPM Implementation Review Survey,’’                   the National TPM Implementation
                                                    establishing new requirements for                       which is scheduled to be administered
                                                    transportation performance management                                                                         Review Survey and any State-of-Practice
                                                                                                            in 2016 and again several years later.                Questionnaires; (3) Minimize the
                                                    to ensure the most efficient investment
                                                    of Federal transportation funds.                        Overview                                              burden of effort to the greatest extent
                                                    Transportation performance                                 In the summer of 2015, the Federal                 practicable; (4) Delay administration of
                                                    management increases the                                Highway Administration (FHWA)                         National TPM Implementation Review
                                                    accountability and transparency of the                  published the National TPM                            Survey until after the final rulemakings;
                                                    Federal-aid highway program and                         Implementation Review Survey and                      and (5) Share data from the National
                                                    provides for a framework to support                     Information Collection Request, Docket                TPM Implementation Review Survey
                                                    improved investment decision making                     FHWA–2015–0013. In that 60-day                        with States, MPOs, and their respective
                                                    through a focus on performance                          Federal Register Notice (FRN), FHWA                   associations to support the development
                                                    outcomes for key national transportation                stated it would administer the first                  of federally and state funded TPM
                                                    goals. State transportation agencies                    National TPM Implementation Review                    capacity building efforts.
                                                    (STAs) will be expected to use the                      Survey in 2016 to establish a baseline                   To address the first three concerns
                                                    information and data generated as a                     and assess:                                           listed in the preceding paragraph,
                                                    result of the new regulations to make                      1. FHWA and its partners’ progress                 stakeholders can provide input on the
                                                    better informed transportation planning                 implementing MAP–21 performance                       design of National TPM Implementation
                                                    and programming decisions. The new                      provisions and related TPM best                       Review Survey by:
                                                    performance aspects of the Federal-aid                  practices; and                                           1. Submitting comments on the draft
                                                    program will allow FHWA to better                          2. The effectiveness of performance-               survey questions and survey design
                                                    communicate a national performance                      based planning and programming                        report to the docket.
                                                    story and to more reliably assess the                   processes and transportation                             2. Participating in one of two webinar
                                                    impacts of Federal funding investments.                 performance management.                               listening sessions on the design of the
                                                       Under the ‘‘National Transportation                     In that FRN, FHWA also stated that a               National TPM Implementation Review
                                                    Performance Management (TPM)                            second National TPM Implementation                    Survey. The date and time of these
                                                    Implementation Review Survey, TPM                       Review Survey will be conducted                       webinars will be advertised at
                                                    State-of-Practice Questionnaires, and                   several years after the first to assess               www.fhwa.dot.gov/TPM. To receive an
                                                    TPM Toolbox’’ information collection                    FHWA and its partners’ progress in                    email notification announcing the date
                                                    request (ICR), the FHWA will collect                    addressing any gaps or issues identified              and time of these webinar listening
                                                    information on the current state of the                 during the first survey. The findings                 sessions, please visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/
                                                    practice, data, methods, and systems                    from the first review survey will be used             TPM and subscribe to email updates.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    used by State, metropolitan, regional,                  in a pair of statutory reports to Congress               To address the concern on the timing
                                                    local, and/or tribal transportation                     due in 2017 on the effectiveness of                   of the National TPM Implementation
                                                    entities to support their TPM processes                 performance-based planning,                           Review Survey, FHWA decided to delay
                                                    in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 119, 134–                  programming processes, and                            administering the review until after
                                                    135, and 148–150, as amended by MAP–                    transportation performance management                 publication of the Statewide and
                                                    21 and the FAST Act. This information                   (23 U.S.C. 119, 134(l)(2), and 135(h)(2)).            Nonmetropolitan Transportation
                                                    will also be used to develop and deliver                The findings from the second survey                   Planning; Metropolitan Transportation
                                                    existing and future Federal Highway                     will be used in a subsequent follow-up                Planning Final Rulemaking.


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                                                    17760                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2016 / Notices

                                                       In addition to the more formal                          • Channel resources to meet capacity               Professional Staff Cost During a Survey
                                                    National TPM Implementation Review                      development and training needs; and                   Year
                                                    Survey, FHWA will conduct informal                         • Identify and prioritize TPM                      • All respondents: 19,500 hours × $38
                                                    voluntary TPM State-of-Practice                         research needs.                                           per hour = $741,000
                                                    Questionnaires related to ongoing TPM                      Lastly, as part of FHWA’s ongoing                    Æ Per respondent: (20 × $38 = $760)
                                                    policy and guidance, technical                          technical assistance efforts, a TPM
                                                    assistance, and capacity needs. To                      Toolbox is being created to help                      Clerical Staff Cost During a Survey Year
                                                    address concerns expressed by                           FHWA’s partners self-assess and                       • All respondents: 1,950 hours × $18
                                                    stakeholders regarding the burden of                    benchmark their TPM implementation                        per hour = $35,100
                                                    effort and administration of these                      progress, capabilities, and gaps. The                   Æ Per respondent (2 hours × $18 per
                                                    additional questionnaires, FHWA is                      TPM Toolbox will also help FHWA                           hour = $36)
                                                    proposing to sequence the National                      streamline the integration and
                                                    TPM Implementation Review Survey                        administration of all the efforts                     Total Annual Cost During a Survey Year
                                                    and other State-of-the-Practice                         described above. To maximize the                      • Subtotal Direct Salaries (Professional
                                                    Questionnaires on a biennial cycle.                     effectiveness and efficiency of the TPM                   + Clerical) $776,100
                                                    Under this biennial cycle, the first                    Toolbox, FHWA will collect business                   • Overhead/fringe benefits at 33%:
                                                    National TPM Implementation Review                      contact and organizational demographic                    $256,113
                                                    Survey would be administered in 2016                    (size of organization, location, etc.)                • Total annual respondents cost during
                                                    and the follow-up in 2020. The smaller,                 information along with the responses                      survey year: $1,032,213
                                                    less formal State-of-the-Practice                       submitted as part of the TPM Toolbox’s                  Æ Total average annual cost per
                                                    Questionnaires would be administered                    self-assessment applications.                             respondent during survey year:
                                                    in 2018 and 2022. The State-of-the-                        Respondents: The 975 respondents                       $1,058.68
                                                    Practice Questionnaires are essential to                estimate is based on soliciting input                   Public Comments Invited: You are
                                                    helping FHWA coordinate with its                        from 52 STA, 409 MPOS, and a                          asked to comment on any aspect of this
                                                    many stakeholders to reduce duplicative                 sampling of other State and local                     information collection, including: (1)
                                                    survey efforts as the industry works to                 transportation entities. In most cases,               Whether the proposed collection of
                                                    implement and understand the TPM                        only STAs and MPOs will be surveyed.                  information is necessary for the U.S.
                                                    practices.                                                 Frequency: Agencies will be solicited              DOT’s performance, including whether
                                                       Under this sequencing, the National                  to provide information via a survey 1                 the information will have practical
                                                    TPM Implementation Review Survey                        time every two years. Additionally,                   utility; (2) the accuracy of the U.S.
                                                    will continue to serve the original                     transportation agencies may submit                    DOT’s estimate of the burden of the
                                                    purpose of allowing FHWA to evaluate                    information more frequently by using                  proposed information collection; (3)
                                                    the effectiveness of efforts to implement               the TPM Toolbox’s self-assessment tool.               ways to enhance the quality, usefulness,
                                                    TPM and PBPP. The State-of-the-                            Estimated Average Burden per                       and clarity of the collected information;
                                                    Practice Questionnaires will enable                     Response: The estimated average annual                and (4) ways that the burden could be
                                                    FHWA and its stakeholders to                            burden hours is up to 20 hours per                    minimized, including the use of
                                                    coordinate the collection of information                response during a year with a survey/                 electronic technology, without reducing
                                                    necessary to advance the state-of-the-                  questionnaire request.                                the quality of the collected information.
                                                    practice and further TPM capacity                          Estimated Total Annual Burden                      The agency will summarize and/or
                                                    building efforts. This approach limits                  Hours: The estimated total annual                     include your comments in the request
                                                    the number of TPM related surveys to 4                  burden hours for all respondents is                   for OMB’s clearance of this information
                                                    over a number of years:                                 estimated to be 19,500 burden hours
                                                       • National TPM Implementation                                                                              collection.
                                                                                                            (975 respondents × 20 burden hours) per                 Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
                                                    Review Survey (Baseline): 2016.
                                                                                                            year with survey/questionnaire requests.
                                                       • State-of-the-Practice                                                                                    of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;
                                                    Questionnaires: 2018.                                   Professional Staff Time During a Survey               and 49 CFR 1.48.
                                                       • National TPM Implementation                        Year                                                    Issued On: March 25, 2016.
                                                    Review Survey (Follow-up): 2020.                                                                              Michael Howell,
                                                       • State-of-the-Practice                              • 20 hours/respondent × 975
                                                    Questionnaires: 2022.                                     respondents × 1 questionnaire during                Information Collection Officer.
                                                       After each survey or questionnaire,                    a survey year = 19,500 hours                        [FR Doc. 2016–07169 Filed 3–29–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    FHWA and its stakeholders will explore                                                                        BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
                                                                                                            Clerical Staff Time During a Survey
                                                    how to better align the information                     Year
                                                    collection requests with yet-to-be
                                                    determined performance management                       • 2 hours/respondent × 975 respondents                DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
                                                    reporting processes. The information                      × 1 questionnaire during a survey year
                                                                                                              = 1,950 hours                                       National Highway Traffic Safety
                                                    will be collected from State,                                                                                 Administration
                                                    metropolitan, regional, local, and/or                     The aggregated associated salary cost
                                                    tribal transportation agencies via                      to all respondents (975) during a survey              [Docket No. NHTSA–2015–0083, Notice 2]
                                                    internet-based questionnaires or web                    year is estimated to be $1,032,213 based
                                                                                                            on an average salary of $38 per hour                  Decision That Nonconforming Model
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                                                    applications and will be used to help
                                                    FHWA and its partner organizations do                   (approximately $79,000 per year) for                  Year 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class
                                                    the following:                                          professional staff and $18 per hour                   Passenger Cars Are Eligible for
                                                       • Strategically plan to meet ever                    (approximately $37,000 per year) for                  Importation
                                                    growing demand for TPM technical                        clerical staff. Disaggregated, the total              AGENCY: National Highway Traffic
                                                    assistance needs;                                       average annual cost per respondent                    Safety Administration (NHTSA),
                                                       • Develop and refine TPM policy and                  during a survey year is estimated to be               Department of Transportation (DOT).
                                                    guidance based on stakeholder                           $1,058.68. The burden hours and costs
                                                                                                                                                                  ACTION: Grant of petition.
                                                    feedback;                                               are illustrated below.


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Document Created: 2016-03-30 09:28:14
Document Modified: 2016-03-30 09:28:14
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of request for approval of a new information collection.
DatesPlease submit comments by April 29, 2016.
ContactMichael Nesbitt ([email protected]), 202-366-1179, Office of Infrastructure, 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.
FR Citation81 FR 17758 

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