[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 187 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54969-54970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19127]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2007-29258]


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

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is 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 November 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Number 
FHWA-2007-29258 by any of the following methods:
    Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the Department of Transportation Docket 
Management System electronic docket site. No electronic submissions 
will be accepted between September 28, 2007, and October 1, 2007.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
    Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590, 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 U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Ferroni, 202-366-3233, Office of 
Planning, Environment, and Realty, Federal Highway Administration, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Noise Barriers Inventory Request.
    Background: The Federal-aid highway program has always been based 
on a strong State-Federal partnership. At the core of that partnership 
is a philosophy of trust and flexibility, and a belief that the States 
are in the best position to make investment decisions that are based on 
the needs and priorities of their citizens. The FHWA noise regulations 
give each State highway agency flexibility in determining the 
reasonableness and feasibility of noise abatement and, thus, in 
balancing the benefits of noise abatement against the overall adverse 
social, economic, and environmental effects and costs of the noise 
abatement measures. The State highway agencies base their determination 
on the interest of the overall public good, keeping in mind all the 
elements of the highway program.
    The flexibility in noise abatement decision-making is reflected by 
data indicating that not all States have built noise barriers. Through 
the end of 2004, 45 State Departments of Transportation (SDOT) and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have constructed over 2,205 linear miles of 
barriers at a cost of over $2.6 billion ($3.4 billion in 2004 dollars). 
Five States and the District of Columbia have not constructed noise 
barriers. Ten State highway agencies account for approximately 64 
percent of total barrier length and 72 percent of total barrier cost. 
The previously distributed listing can be found at  http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/barrier/summary.htm. This listing 
continues to be extremely useful in the management of the highway 
traffic noise program, in our technical assistance efforts for State 
highway agencies, and in responding to inquiries from congressional 
sources, Federal, State, and local agencies, and the general public. An 
updated listing of noise barriers will be distributed nationally for 
use in the highway traffic noise program. This collection request is 
for all noise barriers constructed by December 31, 2007. This would 
include all funding sources and material types. Although the collection 
concentrates on the 2005, 2006, and 2007 calendar years, a State 
highway agency may, after review of the ``Summary of Noise Barriers 
Constructed by December 31, 2004'' document, delete, modify or add 
information to any calendar year.
    Respondents: Each of the 50 SDOTs, the District of Columbia, and 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    Frequency: Every 3 years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: It is estimated that on 
average it would take 8 hours to respond to this request. The actual 
response time will be dependent on the number of noise barriers 
constructed, the availability of this information, and the collection 
method. For the SDOT that did not construct noise barriers within the 
time period, there is no burden.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is estimated that the 
estimated total annual burden is 139 hours annually.
    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.


[[Page 54970]]


    Issued On: September 18, 2007.
James R. Kabel,
 Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. E7-19127 Filed 9-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P