[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27675-27676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11205]


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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

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

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 and the public webinar meeting held on 
April 29, 2014.

DATES: The meeting will take place online, as a webinar, on Thursday, 
May 29, 2014, from 1 p.m. to 5 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The NFAC was established to provides 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.

[[Page 27676]]

    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.
    On April 29, 2014 the NFAC members met and finalized 
recommendations on the assessment of statutory, regulatory, 
technological, institutional, financial, and other barriers to improved 
freight transportation performance (including opportunities for 
overcoming the barriers).
    During this meeting, members will discuss and finalize 
recommendations related to: 1) Best practices for improving the 
performance of the national freight network; and 2) Best practices to 
mitigate the impacts of freight movement on communities.
    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/NFAC052914/event/registration.html no 
later than May 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 May 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 May 21, 2014 to provide 
sufficient time for review. All other comments may be received at any 
time before or after the meeting.

    Dated: May 9, 2014.
Tretha Chromey,
Designated Federal Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-11205 Filed 5-13-14; 8:45 am]
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