[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 21504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08604]



[[Page 21504]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DOT-OST--2014-0011]


National Freight Advisory Committee: Notice of Public Webinar 
Meeting

ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) 
announces a public meeting of its National Freight Advisory Committee 
(NFAC) to finalize recommendations for the Department to consider in 
its development of the National Freight Strategic Plan (Plan). This 
meeting is a continuation of the conversation from the meeting held on 
March 25-26 in Washington, DC.
    Date, Time and Location: The meeting will take place online, as a 
webinar, on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., 
Eastern Standard Time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tretha Chromey, Designated Federal 
Officer at (202) 366-1999 or [email protected] or visit the NFAC Web site 
at www.dot.gov/nfac.
    Additional Information:
    Background: The NFAC was established to provide advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary on matters related to freight 
transportation in the United States, including (1) implementation of 
the freight transportation requirements of the Moving Ahead for 
Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21; Pub. L. 112-141); (2) 
establishment of the National Freight Network; (3) development of the 
Plan; (4) development of strategies to help States implement State 
Freight Advisory Committees and State Freight Plans; (5) development of 
measures of conditions and performance in freight transportation; (6) 
development of freight transportation investment, data, and planning 
tools; and (7) legislative recommendations. The NFAC operates as a 
discretionary committee under the authority of the DOT, established in 
accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. See DOT's NFAC Web site for 
additional information about the committee's activities at www.dot.gov/nfac.
    MAP-21 directs the DOT to develop the Plan in consultation with 
State department of transportations and other appropriate stakeholders. 
The Plan must include:
    (A) An assessment of the condition and performance of the national 
freight network.
    (B) An identification of highway bottlenecks on the national 
freight network that create significant freight congestion problems, 
based on a quantitative methodology developed by the Secretary, which 
shall, at a minimum, include--
    (i) information from the Freight Analysis Network of the Federal 
Highway Administration; and
    (ii) to the maximum extent practicable, an estimate of the cost of 
addressing each bottleneck and any operational improvements that could 
be implemented.
    (C) Forecasts of freight volumes for the 20-year period beginning 
in the year during which the Plan is issued.
    (D) An identification of major trade gateways and national freight 
corridors that connect major population centers, trade gateways, and 
other major freight generators for current and forecasted traffic and 
freight volumes, the identification of which shall be revised, as 
appropriate, in subsequent plans.
    (E) An assessment of statutory, regulatory, technological, 
institutional, financial, and other barriers to improved freight 
transportation performance (including opportunities for overcoming the 
barriers).
    (F) An identification of routes providing access to energy 
exploration, development, installation, or production areas.
    (G) Best practices for improving the performance of the national 
freight network.
    (H) Best practices to mitigate the impacts of freight movement on 
communities.
    (I) A process for addressing multistate projects and encouraging 
jurisdictions to collaborate.
    (J) Strategies to improve freight intermodal connectivity.
The Plan serves as a document to outline a long-term strategy to 
implement the National freight policy. The goals of the National 
freight policy are related to economic competitiveness and efficiency; 
congestion; productivity; safety, security, and resilience of freight 
movement; infrastructure condition; use of advanced technology; 
performance, innovation, competition, and accountability in the 
operation and maintenance of the network; and environmental impacts. 
[23 U.S.C. 167]
    On March 25-26, 2014 the NFAC members met to discuss proposed 
recommendations to the DOT on the following elements of the Plan:
     An assessment of statutory, regulatory, technological, 
institutional, financial, and other barriers to improved freight 
transportation performance (including opportunities for overcoming the 
barriers);
     Best practices for improving the performance of the 
national freight network; and
     Best practices to mitigate the impacts of freight movement 
on communities.

The NFAC members discussed approximately seventy (70) of the nearly 
ninety (90) proposed recommendations. At the conclusion of this 
meeting, it was agreed that each of the six subcommittees would revise 
their proposed recommendations, resubmit to the DFO who would compile 
and redistribute to the NFAC members, and the NFAC members would 
reconvene at the end of the month to finalize the recommendations.
    Agenda: The agenda will include: (1) Welcome and introductions; (2) 
overview of the meeting format; (3) remarks from the NFAC Chair and 
Vice Chair; (4) NFAC members discussion on final recommendations; and 
(5) adjournment.
    Public Participation: To view the webinar meeting, members of the 
public must pre-register online at https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/NFAC042914/event/registration.html. 
Interested persons may link to the webinar registration portal through 
www.dot.gov/nafac no later than April 28, 2014. Upon registration, 
information will be sent to you at the email address you provide to 
enable you to connect to the webinar. Should problems arise with 
webinar registration, contact Kirse Kelly at [email protected] or 703-
235-1324. [This is not a toll-free telephone number.] Note: Members of 
the public will be able to listen to and view the webinar as observers.
    Written comments: As the April 29, 2014 meeting is being conducted 
as a webinar and is a continuation of the conversation from the meeting 
held on March 25-26 where public comment was taken, the Chair has 
determined that public comment will be accepted in writing only. 
Members of the public who wish to submit written comments for 
consideration by the Committee at this meeting must email 
[email protected] or send them to Ms. Tretha Chromey, Designated Federal 
Officer, National Freight Advisory Committee, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., W82-320, Washington, DC 20590 by April 22, 2014 to provide 
sufficient time for review. All other comments may be received at any 
time before or after the meeting.

    Dated: April 10, 2014.
Tretha Chromey,
Designated Federal Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-08604 Filed 4-15-14; 8:45 am]
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