[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 60 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15256-15257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8140]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration
[FHWA Docket No. 98-3606]


Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information 
Collection; Develop and Submit Utility Accommodation Policies

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement in section 3506(c) (2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the 
intention of the FHWA to request the Office of Management and 
Budget(OMB) to renew the information collection that requires State 
highway agencies to develop and submit to FHWA a policy statement on 
the authority of utilities to use and occupy highway rights-of-way; the 
State's authority to regulate such use; and the policies and/or 
procedures employed for accommodating utilities within the rights-of-
way of Federal-aid highway projects.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 29, 1998.

ADDRESSES: All signed, written comments should refer to the docket 
number that appears in the heading of this document and must be 
submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. All comments received 
will be available for examination at the above address between 10 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. Those 
desiring notification of receipt of comments must include a self-
addressed, stamped postcard/envelope. Interested parties are invited to 
send comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including, but not limited to: (1) The necessity and utility of the 
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of 
the FHWA; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance

[[Page 15257]]

the quality, utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) 
ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of 
the collected information. Comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB 
renewal of this information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Paul Scott, Office Engineering, 
Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, HNG-
10, Room 3134, 400 7th St., S.W. Washington, DC 20590-0001, telephone 
(202) 366-4104. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., E.T., 
Monday thru Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Develop and Submit Utility Accommodation Policies.
    OMB Number: 2125-0514.
    Background: The FHWA has elected to fulfill its statutory 
obligations regarding utility accommodation by requiring the State 
highway agencies to develop and submit to FHWA a policy statement on 
the authority of utilities to use and occupy highway rights-of-way; the 
State's authority to regulate such use; and the policies and/or 
procedures employed for accommodating utilities within the rights-of-
way of Federal-aid highway projects. Upon approval of the policy 
statement, the State highway agency may take any action required in 
accordance with the approved policy statement without case-by-case 
review by the FHWA. Utility accommodation policy statements have 
previously been approved by the FHWA for all the 50 State highway 
agencies and the highway agencies of the District of Columbia and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Even so, these policy statements must 
periodically be reviewed to see if updating is necessary, and must 
periodically be updated to reflect policy changes.
    Respondents: State Highway Agencies.
    Average Burden Per Response: The average burden for updating an 
existing policy is 280 hours per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: The estimated total annual burden, 
based upon 10 updates per year, is 2,800 hours.
    Frequency: The existing frequency is an initial submission of a 
utility accommodation policy. Once this is approved, updating is at a 
State's discretion. The FHWA recommends the State highway agencies 
periodically review their policies to see if updating is necessary but 
no specific frequency is mandated.

    Authority: 23 U. S. C. 116, 109(l) and 315.

    Issued on: March 19, 1998.
George S. Moore,
Associate Administrator for for Administration.
[FR Doc. 98-8140 Filed 3-27-98; 8:45 am]
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