[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 139 (Thursday, July 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41258-41260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6355]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

MORRIS K. UDALL SCHOLARSHIP AND EXCELLENCE IN NATIONAL 
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY FOUNDATION

[Docket No. FHWA-2006-25031]


U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution; Request for 
Public Participation in National Outdoor Advertising Control Program 
Assessment

AGENCIES: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT and United States 
Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute).

ACTION: Notice; request for public input on program assessment.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA and the U.S. Institute have initiated an assessment 
of the national outdoor advertising control (OAC) program, which 
implements the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 131. The goal of the assessment 
is to reach out, through a neutral entity, to parties interested in OAC 
to identify issues that cause controversy, perspectives of the various 
stakeholders, and appropriate methods for addressing conflicts and 
improving program results. The U.S. Institute, operating under an 
interagency agreement with the FHWA, is responsible for carrying out 
the neutral conflict assessment process. This notice describes the 
first of several opportunities for public participation in the 
assessment process. At this time, the public is invited to identify any 
OAC issues that should be considered during the assessment. The public 
also is invited to suggest persons or entities with particular 
interests or expertise in outdoor advertising and the OAC program, that 
the assessors should consider contacting as a part of the assessment 
proceedings.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: 

Comments on OAC Issues

    Mail or hand deliver comments about OAC issues that should be 
considered in the assessment to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Dockets Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590, or submit electronically at http://dms.dot.gov or 
fax comments to (202) 493-2251. All comments should include the docket 
number that appears in the heading of this document.
    All comments received will be available for examination and copying 
at the above address from 9 a.m. to 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 or may 
print the acknowledgement page that appears after submitting comments 
electronically. Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of DOT's dockets by the name of the 
individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted 
on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.)

Names of Persons or Entities To Be Contacted as Part of the Assessment

    Mail or hand deliver suggested names of persons or entities to be 
contacted as part of the assessment to the Morris K. Udall Foundation, 
U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, attn: Ms. Gail 
Brooks, 130 South Scott Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701, or submit 
electronically by e-mail to [email protected], or fax to (510) 670-5530. 
Contact information for such persons or entities, if available to the 
submitter, should be included in the submission.
    Names and contact information for such persons or entities should 
be provided only to the U.S. Institute as directed above in order to 
protect the privacy of the persons or entities

[[Page 41259]]

suggested. Do not include name and contact information with comments 
about OAC issues to be filed with the DOT Document Management Facility. 
Persons making comments may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement 
in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70, 
Pages 19477-78), or may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the FHWA: Mr. Gerald Solomon, 
Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR), (202) 366-2019, 
[email protected]; for legal questions, Mr. Robert Black, Office 
of Chief Counsel (HCC), (202) 366-1359, [email protected]; Federal 
Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
For the U.S. Institute: Dale Keyes, Senior Program Manager, 
[email protected], (520) 670-5653 or Gail Brooks, Program Associate, 
[email protected], (520) 670-5299; U.S. Institute for Environmental 
Conflict Resolution, 130 South Scott Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701. Business 
hours for the Federal Highway Administration are 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. 
(e.t.), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    You may submit or retrieve comments online through the Docket 
Management System (DMS) at http://dms.dot.gov/submit. The DMS is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days a year. Electronic submission and 
retrieval help and guidelines are available under the help section of 
the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this notice may be downloaded using a 
computer, modem and suitable communications software from the 
Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 
512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's 
home page at http://www.archives.gov and the Government Printing 
Office's Web site at http://www.access.gpo.gov.

Background

    The U.S. Congress adopted the first Federal legislation pertaining 
to the control of outdoor advertising signs (signs) near Federal-aid 
highways in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1958. That legislation 
established the voluntary Bonus Program to control outdoor advertising 
signs within 660 feet of the Interstate System. The Bonus Program 
provided a monetary incentive to the States to adopt programs that 
controlled outdoor advertising in accordance with national standards 
specified in the legislation.
    In 1965, Congress passed the Highway Beautification Act (HBA), 23 
U.S.C. 131, which substantially amended the original law and today 
governs the Federal outdoor advertising control program. Unlike the 
Bonus Program, States are required to comply with the HBA. The first 
section of the HBA sets forth the basic program objectives: ``The 
erection and maintenance of outdoor advertising signs, displays, and 
devices in areas adjacent to the Interstate System and the primary 
system should be controlled in order to protect the public investment 
in such highways, to promote the safety and recreational value of 
public travel, and to preserve natural beauty.'' The FHWA promulgated 
regulations in 1973, which appear in parts 180 and 750 of title 23, 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Most provisions of the HBA and the 
regulations have remained largely unchanged since their original 
adoption.
    Under the HBA, States are responsible for implementing the OAC 
program in a manner consistent with the Federal law and regulations. 
Failure by a State to maintain effective control can result in the 
withholding of a portion of the State's Federal-aid highway funds. Most 
States have assigned administrative responsibility for OAC to their 
transportation agencies.
    The HBA requires States to develop standards governing various 
aspects of the program, and mandates compensation to sign owners when a 
State's action in removing a sign constitutes a regulatory taking. 
Pursuant to the HBA, there are areas in which signs can be legally 
erected, areas where they cannot be erected, and limitations on the 
size, lighting, and spacing of signs. Signs erected legally prior to 
the adoption of the regulatory controls with which they do not conform 
were given limited ``grandfathering'' protection as non-conforming 
signs. The law affirmatively requires States to remove illegal signs, 
which do not comply with applicable laws and regulations and are not 
grandfathered.
    Since the adoption of the HBA and the implementing regulations, 
there have been substantial changes in relevant practices, 
technologies, and local conditions. As a result, many of those affected 
by the OAC program see an increasing gap between current Federal law 
and regulations and the needs of States, local communities, 
advertisers, sign owners, owners of properties on which signs are 
located, interest groups, and the traveling public. Enforcement of 
Federal and State laws, and the interface between OAC and local zoning 
laws, create challenges across the country. These difficulties raise 
questions about the effectiveness of the current national OAC program.
    The FHWA wishes to better understand the nature and complexity of 
the conflicts that have developed in connection with the HBA, and what 
paths toward resolution are available. The FHWA requested assistance 
with this effort from the U.S. Institute, which specializes in 
environmental conflict assessment and resolution.
    In accordance with its statutory authority, the 1998 Environmental 
Policy and Conflict Resolution Act (Pub. L. 105-156, codified at 20 
U.S.C. 5601 et seq.), the U.S. Institute will conduct a comprehensive 
and neutral conflict assessment of the OAC program. The U.S. Institute 
will serve an independent and impartial role, accountable to all the 
interested parties and participants. Confidentiality of all private 
conversations will be protected. The U.S. Institute will oversee the 
assessment process, and has contracted with the Osprey Group, a private 
conflict resolution company, to gather information and conduct other 
aspects of the assessment, and to prepare the assessment report. For 
more information on the U.S. Institute, please visit http://www.ecr.gov.
    The goal of the OAC program neutral conflict assessment is to 
identify areas of conflict, stakeholders affected by or interested in 
the issues, the stakeholders' positions and proposed solutions, and 
their willingness to engage in efforts to address and resolve the 
issues. The assessment will be accomplished through discussions with 
key stakeholders (individually or in groups) and public listening 
sessions.
    The assessment report prepared by the U.S. Institute and the Osprey 
Group will convey findings and identify options for future action, 
including whether a future collaborative problem-solving process would 
be appropriate. The final product will contain a set of recommendations 
from the assessors for actions by the FHWA and others to address OAC 
program conflicts. After the U.S. Institute submits its assessment 
report, the FHWA will place a copy of the report in the docket. 
Additionally, the FHWA will announce in the Federal Register 
availability of this report and ask for public comments on the report.
    The OAC program assessment process will offer public participation 
opportunities in several ways. The first is this request for public 
comments about which issues the assessment should consider and who 
should be considered for inclusion in discussion activities. There also 
will be public listening sessions in several cities around the country, 
at which any

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member of the public may attend and provide information. An 
announcement of the dates, times, and locations of those sessions will 
be posted in the docket, available as described above. After 
consideration of the assessment report and public comments on it, the 
FHWA will file in the same docket a summary of its review of the 
results of the OAC program neutral conflict assessment.
    Information on the FHWA OAC program is available online at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/out_ad.htm or by contacting the FHWA at 
the address listed above. Additional OAC resources include: National 
Alliance of Highway Beautification Agencies, http://www.nahba.org/; 
Outdoor Advertising Association of America, http://www.oaaa.org; and 
Scenic America, http://www.scenic.org/ org/.
    Comments received after the comment closing date will be filed in 
the docket and will be considered to the extent practicable. In 
addition to late comments, the FHWA also will continue to file in the 
docket relevant information that becomes available after the closing 
date, and interested persons should continue to examine the docket for 
new material. Names of persons or entities that the assessors should 
consider contacting as part of the assessment that are received by the 
U.S. Institute after the comment closing date also will be considered 
to the extent practicable.

(Authority: 23 U.S.C. 131; 20 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.)

    Issued on: July 13, 2006.
Christopher L. Helms,
Executive Director, Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in 
National Environmental Policy Foundation.
Frederick G. Wright, Jr.,
Federal Highway Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 06-6355 Filed 7-19-06; 8:45 am]
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