2021-01997. Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of request for extension of currently approved information collection.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that FHWA will submit the collection of information described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on November 25, 2020. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.

DATES:

Please submit comments by March 3, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 2020-0030 by any of the following methods:

Website: 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: [phone].

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. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Dougherty 202-366-9234, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Highway Policy Information, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Certification of Enforcement of the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax.

OMB Control Number: 2125-0541.

Background: Title 23 United States Code, Section 141(c), provides that a State's apportionment of funds under 23 U.S.C. 104(b)(1) shall be reduced in an amount up to 8 percent of the amount to be apportioned during any fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1984, if vehicles subject to the Federal heavy vehicle use tax are lawfully registered in the State without having presented proof of payment of the tax. The annual certification by the State Governor or designated official regarding the collection of the heavy vehicle use tax serves as the FHWA's primary means of determining State compliance. The FHWA has determined that an annual certification of compliance by each State is the least obtrusive means of administering the provisions of the legislative mandate. In addition, States are required to retain for 1 year a Schedule 1, IRS Form 2290, Heavy Vehicle Use Tax Return (or other suitable alternative provided by regulation). The FHWA conducts compliance reviews at least once every 3 years to determine if the annual certification is adequate to ensure effective administration of 23 U.S.C. 141(c).

The estimated annual reporting burden is 102 hours; the estimated recordkeeping burden is 510 hours for a total of 612 hours. The 50 States and the District of Columbia share this burden. Preparing and processing the annual certification is estimated to require 2 hours per State. Recordkeeping is estimated to require an average of 10 hours per State.

Respondents: 50 State Transportation Departments, and the District of Columbia for a total of 51 respondents.

Frequency: Annually.

Estimated Average Annual Burden per Response: The average burden to submit the certification and to retain required records is 12 hours per respondent.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Total estimated average annual burden is 612 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: January 26, 2021.

Michael Howell,

Information Collection Officer.