E7-16478. Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew an information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on June 1, 2007. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Please submit comments by September 21, 2007.

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 (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 number FHWA-2007-29025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Kenneth Petty, [phone], Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty, Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Planning and Research Program Administration.

OMB Control #: 2125-0039.

Background: Under the provisions of Title 23, United States Code, section 505, 2 percent of Federal-aid highway funds in certain categories that are apportioned to the States are set aside to be used only for State Planning and Research (SPR). At least 25 percent of the SPR funds apportioned annually must be used for research, development, and technology transfer activities. In accordance with government-wide grant management procedures, a grant application must be submitted for these funds. In addition, recipients must submit periodic progress and financial reports. In lieu of Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, the FHWA uses a work program as the grant application. This includes a scope of work and budget for activities to be undertaken with FHWA planning and research funds during the next 1 or 2 year period. The information contained in the work program includes task descriptions, assignments of responsibility for conducting the work effort, and estimated costs for the tasks. This information is necessary to determine how FHWA planning and research funds will be utilized by the State Transportation Departments and if the proposed work is eligible for Federal participation. The content and frequency of submission of progress and financial reports specified in 23 CFR Part 420 are specified in OMB Circular A-102 and the companion common grant management regulations.

Respondents: 52 State Transportation Departments, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Frequency: Annual.

Estimated Average Annual Burden per Response: 560 hours per respondent.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 29,120 hours.

Electronic Access: Internet users may access all comments received by the U.S. DOT Dockets, by using the universal resource locator (URL): http://dms.dot.gov,, 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Please follow the instructions online for more information and help.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

Issued on: August 15, 2007.

James R. Kabel,

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.