81 FR 95266 - Emergency Route Working Group-Notice of Public Meetings

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 248 (December 27, 2016)

This notice announces three meetings of the Emergency Route Working Group (ERWG). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that notice of these meetings be published in the Federal Register.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95266-95267]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31243]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2016-0015]


Emergency Route Working Group--Notice of Public Meetings

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces three meetings of the Emergency Route 
Working Group (ERWG). The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that 
notice of these meetings be published in the Federal Register.

DATES: Three public meetings will be held on:
     Monday, January 9, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., e.t.
     Thursday, February 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
e.t.
     Thursday, March 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
e.t.

ADDRESSES: All three public meetings will be held at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., Conference Center, 
Washington, DC 20590.
    Due to the limited amount of parking around DOT Headquarters, use 
of public transit is strongly advised. DOT is served by the Navy Yard 
Metrorail Station (Green line). The closest exit to DOT Headquarters is 
the Navy Yard exit. Train and bus schedules are available at 
Metrorail's Web site at: http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/tripplanner/tripplanner_form_solo.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Jones, FHWA Office of Freight 
Management and Operations, (202) 366-2976, or via email at 
[email protected] or [email protected]. For legal questions, contact 
Seetha Srinivasan, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-4099 or 
via email at [email protected]. Office hours for FHWA are from 
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this notice may be downloaded from the from 
the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov; the 
Government Publishing Office's database at: https://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/; 
or the specific docket page at: www.regulations.gov.

Background

    Purpose of the Committee: The ERWG was established pursuant to 
section 5502 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act 
(Pub. L. 114-94). Section 5502 of the (FAST) Act requires the DOT to 
establish an emergency route working group to determine best practices 
for expeditious State approval of special permits for vehicles involved 
in emergency response and recovery. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), the FHWA's Office of Freight Management and 
Operations is announcing three public meetings of the Emergency Route 
Working Group (ERWG) on the following dates:
     Monday, January 9, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., e.t.
     Thursday, February 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
e.t.
     Thursday, March 16, 2017, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 
e.t.
    These meetings are being conducted to develop recommendations for 
the DOT Secretary on issues and associated best practices to encourage 
expeditious State approval of special permits for vehicles involved in 
emergency response and recovery.
    Tentative Agenda: The agenda will include a welcome and 
introduction by the Designated Federal Officer and Committee Chair, a 
review of literature related to special permits and emergency response 
and recovery, and a topical discussion on considerations for best 
practices; including whether:
    (1) Impediments currently exist that prevent expeditious State 
approval of special permits for vehicles involved in emergency response 
and recovery;
    (2) it is possible to pre-identify and establish emergency routes 
between States through which infrastructure repair materials could be 
delivered following a natural disaster or emergency;
    (3) a State could pre-designate an emergency route identified under 
paragraph (2) as a certified emergency route if a motor vehicle that 
exceeds the otherwise applicable Federal and State truck size and 
weight limits may safely operate along such route during periods of 
declared emergency and recovery from such periods; and
    (4) an online map could be created to identify each pre-designated 
emergency route under paragraph (3), including information on specific 
vehicle limitations, obligations, and notification requirements along 
that route.
    Public Participation: All three meetings are open to the public. 
The Designated Federal Officer and the Chair of the Committee will 
conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. If 
you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may 
do so either before or after the meeting by submitting an electronic 
copy of that statement to [email protected] or the specific docket page at: 
www.regulations.gov. If you would like to make oral statements 
regarding any of the items on the agenda, you should contact Crystal 
Jones at the phone number listed above or email your request to 
[email protected]. You must make your request for an oral statement at least 
5 business days prior to the meeting. Reasonable provisions will be 
made to include any such presentation on the agenda. Public comment 
will be limited to 3 minutes per speaker, per topic.
    Minutes: An electronic copy of the minutes from these meetings will 
be available for download within 60 days of each meeting at: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/erwg/index.htm.

    Authority: Section 5502 of Public Law 114-94; 5 U.S.C. Appendix 
2; 41 CFR 102-3.65; 49 CFR 1.85.


[[Page 95267]]


    Dated: December 21, 2016.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-31243 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
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