2021-01998. Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

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 2020-0029 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:

Carolyn Winborne-James, 202-493-0353, Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Real Estate Services, 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: FHWA Excellence in Right-of-Way Awards.

Background: In 1995, the Federal Highway Administration established the biennial Excellence in Right-of-Way Awards Program to recognize partners, projects, and processes that use FHWA funding sources to go beyond regulatory compliance and achieve Right-of-Way excellence. Excellence in Right-of-Way awardees have contributed to outstanding innovations that enhance the right-of-way professional's ability to meet the challenges associated with acquiring real property for Federal-aid projects.

Similarly, FHWA established the Excellence in Right-of-Way Awards Program to honor the use of innovative practices and outstanding achievements associated with highway improvement projects as it relates to the Right-of-Way program. The goal of the program is to showcase exemplary and innovative projects, programs, initiatives, and practices that successfully integrate the consideration of the Right-of-Way program along with the association of the acquisition of land required to construct transportation facilities.

Award: Anyone can nominate a project, process, person or group that has used Federal Highway Administration funding sources to make an outstanding contribution to transportation and the Right-of-Way field. The nominator is responsible for submitting an application form that summarizes the outstanding accomplishments of the entry. FHWA will use the collected information to evaluate, showcase, and enhance the public's knowledge on addressing right-of-way challenges on transportation projects. Nominations will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges from varying backgrounds. It is anticipated that awards will be given every two years. The winners will be presented awards at the completion of the process.

Respondents: Anyone who has used Federal Highway funding sources in the fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Frequency: The information will be collected biennially.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: 6 hours per respondent per application.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is expected that the respondents will complete approximately 50 applications for an estimated total of 600 annual burden hours.

Public Comments Invited: 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 burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA 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.