[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 213 (Friday, November 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64755-64756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18511]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2006-26127]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for two 
new information collections, which are summarized below under 
Supplementary Information. We are required to publish this notice in 
the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by January 2, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Number 
FHWA-2006-26127 by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC, 20590-0001.

[[Page 64756]]

     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room 401 
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Petty, 202-366-6654, or Jody 
McCullough, 202-366-2825, Office of Planning, Federal Highway 
Administration, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program 
Grant Application. Transportation Planning Excellence Awards Nomination 
Form.
    Background: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation 
Program Grant.
    Application: Section 1117 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) 
provides funding for the Transportation, Community, and System 
Preservation (TCSP) Program. The TCSP Program is a comprehensive 
initiative of research and grants to investigate the relationships 
between transportation, community, and system preservation plans and 
practices and identify sector-based initiatives to improve such 
relationships. States, metropolitan planning organizations, local 
governments, and tribal governments are eligible for discretionary 
grants to carry out eligible projects to integrate transportation, 
community, and system preservation plans and practices that:
     Improve the efficiency of the transportation system of the 
United States.
     Reduce environmental impacts of transportation.
     Reduce the need for costly future public infrastructure 
investments.
     Ensure efficient access to jobs, services, and centers of 
trade.
     Examine community development patterns and identify 
strategies to encourage private sector development patterns and 
investments that support these goals.
    The 2-page TCSP grant application is the tool used to collect the 
necessary information needed to successfully submit eligible TCSP 
Program projects to the Secretary of Transportation for approval and 
for the distribution of the funds to the States. The TCSP grant 
application includes three parts: (A) Project Information--General 
contact and funding information, (B) Project Abstract--Overview of the 
purpose and intent of project, and (C) Project Narrative--Description 
of the project and the expected results.
    The TCSP Program is a discretionary program. However, beginning in 
FY 2000, the projects awarded TCSP Program funding have been designated 
by Congress. In order to comply with Congressional-designation, the 
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division offices will continue to 
be asked to identify the intended recipient of the TCSP designated 
grant. The specified grant recipient would then be asked to complete 
the grant application each fiscal year that they receive TCSP funding. 
The participants will have a choice of providing their information by 
means of the Internet or a printed application.
    Transportation Planning Excellence Awards Nomination Form: The 
Transportation Planning Excellence Awards (TPEA) program is a biennial 
awards program developed by the FHWA and the Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA) to recognize outstanding initiatives across the 
country to develop, plan and implement innovative transportation 
planning practices. The program is co-sponsored by the American 
Planning Association.
    The on-line TPEA nomination form is the tool for submitters to 
nominate a process, group, or individual involved in a project or 
process that has used the FHWA and/or the FTA funding sources to make 
an outstanding contribution to the field of transportation planning. 
The information about the process, group or individual provided by the 
submitter may be shared and published if that submission is selected 
for an award.
    The TPEA is a biennial awards program and individuals will be asked 
to submit nominations via the online form every two years. The 
participants will provide their information by means of the Internet.
    Respondents: For the TCSP Program, 100 participants annually. For 
the TPEA, 150 participants in the first and third year, because it is a 
biennial program.
    Frequency: For the TCSP Program, grant applications are solicited 
on an annual basis. For the TPEA, nominations are solicited every two 
years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: For the TCSP Program, 90 
minutes. For the TPEA Program, approximately 60 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: For the TCSP Program, 150 
hours annually. For the TPEA, 150 hours in the first year and 150 hours 
in the third year.
    Public Comments Invited: 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 burdens; (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. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

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

    Issued On: October 26, 2006.
 James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
 [FR Doc. E6-18511 Filed 11-2-06; 8:45 am]
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