[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62918-62919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25656]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2010-0038]


Notice of Request for the Approval of Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration (FTA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the following information collection:
    Metropolitan and Statewide Transportation Planning.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before December 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once 
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by 
only one of the following methods:
    1. Web site: http://www.regulations.gov gov. Follow the instructions 
for submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site. 
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic 
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic 
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site 
at http://www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions 
below for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
    2. Fax: 202-366-7951.
    3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
    Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number 
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of 
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has 
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note 
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be 
posted and will be available to Internet users, without change, to 
http://www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000, (65 FR 
19477), or you may visit http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents and 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time. 
Background documents and comments received may also be viewed at the 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candace Noonan, Office of Planning and 
Environment, (202) 366-1648, or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection 
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (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 request for OMB approval of 
this information collection.
    Title: Metropolitan and Statewide Transportation Planning.
    OMB Number: 2132-0529.
    Background: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal 
Highway Administration (FHWA) jointly carry out the federal mandate to 
improve urban and rural transportation. 49 U.S.C. Sections 5303 and 
5304 and 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135 authorize the use of federal funds to 
assist Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), States, and local 
public bodies in developing transportation plans and programs to serve 
the transportation needs of urbanized areas over 50,000 in population 
and other areas of States outside of urbanized areas. The information 
collection activities involved in developing the Unified Planning Work 
Program (UPWP), the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the Statewide 
Transportation Improvement Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program 
(TIP), and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) are 
necessary to identify and evaluate the transportation issues and needs 
in each urbanized area and throughout every state. These products of 
the transportation planning process are essential elements in the 
reasonable planning and programming of federally funded transportation 
investments.
    In addition to serving as management tools for MPOs and State DOTs, 
the UPWP and State Planning and Research (SP&R) Work Program are used 
by both FTA and FHWA to monitor the transportation planning activities 
of those agencies. It is also needed to establish national out year 
budgets and regional program plans, develop policy on using funds, 
monitor State and local compliance with national technical emphasis 
areas, respond to Congressional inquiries, prepare Congressional 
testimony, and ensure efficiency in the use and expenditure of federal 
funds by determining that planning proposals are both reasonable and 
cost-effective. 49 U.S.C. Section 5303 and 23 U.S.C. 134(h) require the 
development of TIPs for urbanized areas; STIPs are mandated by 49 
U.S.C. Section 5304 and 23 U.S.C. 235(f) for an entire State. After 
approval by the Governor and MPO, metropolitan TIPs in attainment areas 
are to be incorporated directly into the STIP. For nonattainment areas, 
FTA/FHWA must make a conformity finding on the TIPs before including 
them into the STIP. The complete STIP is then jointly reviewed and 
approved or disapproved

[[Page 62919]]

by FTA and FHWA. These conformity findings and approval actions 
constitute the determination that Sates are complying with the 
requirements of 23 U.S.C. 235 and 49 U.S.C. Sections 5303 and 5304 as a 
condition of eligibility for federal-aid funding. Without these 
documents, approvals and findings, capital and/or operating assistance 
cannot be provided.
    Respondents: State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and MPOs.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 621 hours for each of the 
436 respondents.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 270,756 hours.
    Frequency: Annual.

    Issued: October 6, 2010.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-25656 Filed 10-12-10; 8:45 am]
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