[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 88 (Friday, May 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26269-26271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11310]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2000-7315]


Notice of Request for Renewal of Five Currently Approved 
Information Collections

AGENCY: Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration 
(FHWA).

ACTION: Notice and request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements 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 its clearances for the five currently approved FHWA 
collections of information identified below under Supplementary 
Information.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 5, 2000.

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. Commenters should refer 
to the OMB control number to specify the information collection they 
are commenting on. All comments received will be available for 
examination at the above address between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., et., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. Those desiring notification of 
receipt of comments must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or 
postcard.

Public Comments Invited

    Interested parties are invited to send comments regarding any 
aspect of these five information collections, 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 burdens; (3) ways to enhance 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 requests for OMB's clearance 
of the following five collections of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (1) Title: Federal-aid Highway Construction 
Equal Employment Opportunity.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0019 (Expiration Date: December 31, 2000).
    Affected Public: State highway agencies.
    Abstract: Title 23, part 140(a), requires the FHWA to ensure equal 
opportunity regarding contractors' employment practices on Federal-aid 
highway projects. To carry out this requirement the contractors must 
submit to the State highway agencies an annual report providing 
employment

[[Page 26270]]

work force data, which includes the number of minorities, women, and 
non-minorities in each construction craft. This information is reported 
on Form PR-1391, Federal-aid Highway Construction Contractors Summary 
of Employment Data. The statute also requires the State highway 
agencies to submit a report to the FHWA summarizing the data entered on 
the PR-1391 forms. This summary data is provided on Form PR-1392, 
Federal-aid Highway Construction Contractors Summary of Employment 
Data. The FHWA uses this data to identify patterns and trends of 
employment in the highway construction industry, and to determine the 
adequacy and impacts of the FHWA's contract compliance and on-the-job 
training programs.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The FHWA estimates the total annual burden 
hours imposed on the public by this collection is 6,580 hours; i.e., 
2,080 hours is required by the 52 State highway agencies to complete 
and submit the Form PR-1392, and an additional 4,500 hours is required 
for 4,500 Federal-Aid contractors to complete and submit the Form PR-
1391.
    Number of Respondents: 52.
    For Further Information Contact: Ms. Carmen Sevier, (202) 366-1595, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Civil 
Rights Service Business Unit, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    (2) Title: Statement of Materials and Labor Used by Contractor on 
Highway Construction Involving Federal Funds.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0033 (Expiration Date: November 30, 2000).
    Affected Public: State highway agencies and Federal-aid highway 
contractors.
    Abstract: The State highway agencies and contractors who work on 
highway projects are required to submit data regarding the usage of 
materials and labor in highway construction (23 CFR 635.126). This data 
is submitted to the FHWA on Form FHWA-47, Statement of Materials and 
Labor Used by Contractors on Highway Construction Involving Federal 
Funds. Title 29 U.S.C. 2 authorizes the Department of Labor (DOL) to 
collect the labor-related information using its own forces or by 
getting the information from other Federal agencies. An informal 
agreement has been reached for the FHWA to collect the desired data for 
DOL. The data is used by the FHWA for estimating current material usage 
and cost distribution on Federal-aid highway construction contracts to 
aid in planning for future requirements based on anticipated program 
levels. The information is also used by the Department of Labor in its 
studies on the highway construction industry's labor and materials 
requirements, and by the industry, including the materials suppliers. 
This information is made available to other Federal, State and local 
agencies, universities, businesses, and industry for their own uses.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The FHWA estimates that the total annual 
burden imposed on the public by this collection is 7,475 hours; i.e., 
approximately 650 State highway agencies and Federal-Aid highway 
contractors complete and submit an average of 2.3 reports on Form FHWA-
47 yearly; and the estimated time to complete each report is 5 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 650.
For Further Information Contact: Ms. Claretta Duren, (202) 366-4636, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 
Infrastructure Core Business Unit, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    (3) Title: Developing and Recording Costs for Utility Adjustments.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0519 (Expiration Date: November 30, 2000).
    Affected Public: State highway agencies and public utilities.
    Abstract: Under 23 U.S.C. 123, the FHWA reimburses the State 
highway agencies when they have paid the costs of utility facilities' 
relocations that are required by the construction of Federal-aid 
highway projects. The FHWA requires the utilities to document the costs 
for adjusting their facilities. The utilities must have a system for 
recording labor, materials, supplies and equipment costs incurred when 
undertaking adjustments to accommodate the highway projects. This 
record of costs forms the basis for payment by the State highway agency 
to the utility and in turn the FHWA reimburses the State for its 
payment to the utility. The utilities are required to maintain these 
records of costs for three years after final payment is received.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The FHWA estimates that this collection 
imposes a total annual burden on the public of 180,000 hours; i.e., 
approximately 9,000 reimbursable utility adjustments are made yearly by 
approximately 3,000 utility firms. The average amount of time required 
by these firms to calculate the adjustment costs and maintain the 
required records is 20 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 3,000.
For Further Information Contact: Mr. Paul Scott, (202) 366-4104, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 
Infrastructure Core Business Unit, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    (4) Title: Utility Use and Occupancy Agreements.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0522 (Expiration Date: October 31, 2000).
    Affected Public: State/local highway authorities and public 
utilities.
    Abstract: Under 23 U.S.C. 116, the FHWA requires the State and/or 
local highway authorities to maintain the highway rights-of-way 
including the control of its use by the utilities. In controlling the 
utilities' use of the highway rights-of-way the State/local highway 
authorities are required to document the terms under which the utility 
is to cross or otherwise occupy the highway rights-of-way. This 
documentation, consisting of a use and occupancy agreement (permit), 
must be in writing and must be maintained in the State/local highway 
authority's files for a three-year retention period.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The FHWA estimates that the total annual 
burden imposed on the public by this collection is 552,000 hours; i.e., 
nearly 4,600 State/local highway authorities are each involved in an 
average of 15 use and occupancy agreements per year, and the estimated 
amount of time required by these entities to process the permits is 8 
hours.
    Number of Respondents: 4,600.
For Further Information Contact: Mr. Paul Scott, (202) 366-4104, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, 
Infrastructure Core Business Unit, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    (5) Title: Developing and Recording Costs for Railroad Adjustments.
    OMB Control Number: 2125-0521 (Expiration Date: October 31, 2000).
    Affected Public: State highway agencies and railroad companies.
    Abstract: Under 23 U.S.C. 130, the FHWA reimburses the State 
highway agencies when they have paid for the cost of projects that (1) 
eliminate hazards at railroad/highway crossings, or (2) adjust railroad 
facilities to accommodate the construction of highway projects. The 
FHWA requires the railroad companies to document their costs incurred 
for adjusting their

[[Page 26271]]

facilities. The railroad companies must have a system for recording 
labor, materials, supplies, and equipment costs incurred when 
undertaking the necessary railroad work. This record of costs forms the 
basis for payment by the State highway agency to the railroad company, 
and in turn FHWA reimburses the State for its payment to the railroad 
company.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The FHWA estimates that the total annual 
burden imposed on the public by this collection is 18,400 hours; i.e., 
nearly 115 railroad companies are involved in an average of 10 
railroad/highway projects per year, and the average number of hours 
required to calculate the railroad adjustment costs and maintain the 
required records is 16 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 115.
For Further Information Contact: Mr. Robert Winans, (202) 366-4656, 
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Safety 
Core Business Unit, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.


    Authority: 23 U.S.C. 140(a); 23 CFR 635.126; 29 U.S.C. 2; 23 
U.S.C. 123; 23 U.S.C. 116; 23 U.S C. 130; 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: May 2, 2000.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 00-11310 Filed 5-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P