2015-18159. Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally-Assisted Programs; Fixed Payment for Moving Expenses; Residential Moves

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The purpose of this notice is to publish changes in the Fixed Residential Moving Cost Schedule for the States and Territories of Alabama, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming as provided for by section 202(b) of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended. The schedule amounts for the States and Territories not listed above remain unchanged. The Uniform Act applies to all programs or projects undertaken by Federal agencies or with Federal financial assistance that cause the displacement of any person.

DATES:

The provisions of this notice are effective August 24, 2015, or on such earlier date as an agency elects to begin operating under this schedule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Jane Daluge, Office of Real Estate Services, [phone], email address: [e-mail] ; Robert Black, Office of the Chief Counsel, [phone], email address: [e-mail]; Federal Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov/​ and the Government Printing Office's database: http://www.fdsys.gov.

Background

The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4601-4655 (Uniform Act), established a program, which includes the payment of moving and related expenses, to assist persons who move because of Federal or federally assisted projects. The FHWA is the lead agency for implementing the provisions of the Uniform Act, and has issued governmentwide implementing regulations at 49 CFR part 24.

The following 17 Federal departments and agencies have, by cross-reference, adopted the governmentwide regulations: Department of Agriculture; Department of Commerce; Department of Defense; Department of Education; Department of Energy; Department of Homeland Security; Environmental Protection Agency; Federal Emergency Management Agency; General Services Administration; Department of Health and Human Services; Department of Housing and Urban Development; Department of the Interior; Department of Justice; Department of Labor; Department of Veterans Affairs; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Tennessee Valley Authority.

Section 202(b) of the Uniform Act provides that as an alternative to being paid for actual residential moving and related expenses, a displaced individual or family may elect payment for moving expenses on the basis of a moving expense schedule established by the head of the lead agency. The governmentwide regulations at 49 CFR 24.302 provide that the FHWA will develop, approve, maintain, and update this schedule, as appropriate.

The purpose of this notice is to update the schedule published on May 23, 2012, at 77 FR 30586.

The schedule is being updated to reflect the increased costs associated with moving personal property and was developed from data provided by State highway agencies. This update increases the schedule amounts in the States and Territories of Alabama, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The schedule amounts for the States and Territories not listed above remain unchanged. The payments listed in the table below apply on a State-by-State basis. Two exceptions and limitations apply to all States and Territories. Payment is limited to $100.00 if either of the following conditions applies:

(a) A person has minimal possessions and occupies a dormitory style room, or

(b) A person's residential move is performed by an agency at no cost to the person.

The schedule continues to be based on the “number of rooms of furniture”owned by a displaced individual or family. In the interest of fairness and accuracy, and to encourage the use of the schedule (and thereby simplify the computation and payment of moving expenses), an agency should increase the room count for the purpose of applying the schedule if the amount of possessions in a single room or space actually constitutes more than the normal contents of one room of furniture or other personal property. For example, a basement may count as two rooms if the equivalent of two rooms worth of possessions is located in the basement. In addition, an agency may elect to pay for items stored outside the dwelling unit by adding the appropriate number of rooms.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4622(b) and 4633(b); 49 CFR 1.85 and 24.302.

Issued on: July 17, 2015.

Gregory G. Nadeau,

Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as Amended Fixed Residential Moving Cost Schedule (2015)

State	Occupant owns furniture									Occupant does not own furniture
	Number of rooms of furniture									1 room/ no furn.	Addt'l room no furn.
	1 room	2 rooms	3 rooms	4 rooms	5 rooms	6 rooms	7 rooms	8 rooms	Addt'l room
Alabama	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	400	50
Alaska	700	900	1125	1350	1550	1725	1900	2075	300	500	200
American Samoa	282	395	508	621	706	790	875	960	85	226	28
Arizona	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	100	395	60
Arkansas	550	825	1100	1350	1600	1825	2050	2275	200	300	70
California	725	930	1165	1375	1665	1925	2215	2505	265	475	90
Colorado	675	895	1115	1270	1425	1580	1735	1890	155	385	55
Connecticut	620	810	1000	1180	1425	1670	1910	2150	150	225	60
Delaware	500	710	880	1110	1260	1410	1560	1710	160	400	60
DC	800	1000	1200	1500	1700	1900	2100	2300	200	500	100
Florida	750	900	1075	1250	1400	1550	1600	1850	300	500	150
Georgia	600	975	1300	1600	1875	2125	2325	2525	200	375	100
Guam	600	950	1300	1600	1900	2150	2400	2650	200	300	150
Hawaii	600	950	1300	1600	1900	2150	2400	2650	200	300	150
Idaho	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	350	100
Illinois	850	1000	1150	1250	1400	1600	1750	2050	450	650	150
Indiana	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	400	100
Iowa	550	700	800	900	1000	1100	1225	1350	125	500	50
Kansas	400	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	200	250	50
Kentucky	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	350	50
Louisiana	600	800	1000	1200	1300	1550	1700	1900	300	400	70
Maine	650	900	1150	1400	1650	1900	2150	2400	250	400	100
Maryland	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	200	500	100
Massachusetts	700	850	1000	1200	1350	1500	1650	1800	250	450	150
Michigan	700	950	1150	1300	1450	1600	1750	1900	300	500	200
Minnesota	575	725	925	1125	1325	1525	1725	1925	275	450	100
Mississippi	750	850	1000	1200	1400	1550	1700	1850	300	400	100
Missouri	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1300	1400	1500	200	400	100
Montana	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	350	100
Nebraska	390	545	700	855	970	1075	1205	1325	120	310	40
Nevada	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	350	60
New Hampshire	500	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	200	200	150
New Jersey	650	750	850	1000	1150	1300	1400	1600	200	200	50
New Mexico	650	850	1050	1250	1450	1650	1850	2050	200	400	60
New York	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	350	100
North Carolina	550	750	1050	1200	1350	1600	1700	1900	150	350	50
North Dakota	495	715	900	1080	1265	1415	1510	1695	185	430	65
N. Mariana Is.	282	395	508	621	706	790	875	960	85	226	28
Ohio	600	800	1000	1150	1300	1450	1600	1750	150	400	100
Oklahoma	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1850	2000	200	350	100
Oregon	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	350	100
Pennsylvania	500	750	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	400	70
Puerto Rico	350	550	700	850	1000	1100	1200	1300	100	300	50
Rhode Island	600	850	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	150	300	100
South Carolina	700	805	1095	1285	1575	1735	1890	2075	225	500	75
South Dakota	500	650	800	950	1050	1200	1400	1600	200	300	40
Tennessee	500	750	1000	1250	1500	1750	2000	2250	250	400	100
Texas	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1750	1900	150	400	50
Utah	650	800	950	1100	1250	1400	1550	1700	150	500	100
Vermont	400	550	650	850	1000	1100	1200	1300	150	300	75
Virgin Islands	500	700	850	950	1150	1300	1450	1600	150	425	100
Virginia	700	900	1100	1300	1500	1700	1900	2100	300	400	75
Washington	600	800	1000	1200	1400	1600	1800	2000	200	300	50
West Virginia	750	900	1050	1200	1350	1500	1650	1800	150	350	50
Wisconsin	550	730	935	1140	1350	1560	1765	1975	260	440	105
Wyoming	540	800	870	1020	1170	1325	1500	1670	200	370	60
Exceptions: 1. The payment to a person with minimal possession who is in occupancy of a dormitory style room or whose residential move is performed by an agency at no cost to the person is limited to $100.00.
2. An occupant will be paid on an actual cost basis for moving his or her mobile home from the displacement site. In addition, a reasonable payment to the occupant for packing and securing property for the move may be paid at the agency's discretion.