[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58248-58249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25188]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0269; FRL-9986-70-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and 
Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects, EPA ICR No. 
2130.06, OMB Control No. 2060-0561

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Transportation Conformity 
Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, 
Programs, and Projects'' (EPA ICR No. 2130.06, OMB Control No. 2060-
0561), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing 
so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the 
proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed 
extension of the ICR.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0269 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method) or by 
mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 
28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Astrid Terry, Office of Transportation 
and Air Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood 
Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: 734-214-4812; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that EPA will be collecting are available in the public 
docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: Transportation conformity is required under Clean Air Act 
section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) to ensure that federally supported 
transportation activities are consistent with (``conform to'') the 
purpose of the state air quality implementation plan (SIP). 
Transportation activities include transportation plans, transportation 
improvement programs (TIPs), and federally funded or approved highway 
or transit projects. Conformity to the purpose of the SIP means that 
transportation activities will not cause or contribute to new air 
quality violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely 
attainment of the relevant national ambient air quality standards 
(NAAQS or ``standards'') or interim milestones.
    Transportation conformity applies under EPA's conformity 
regulations at 40 CFR parts 51 and 93, subpart A, to areas that are 
designated nonattainment, and those redesignated to attainment after 
1990 (``maintenance areas'' with plans developed under Clean Air Act 
section 175A) for the following transportation-related criteria 
pollutants: Ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and 
PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide 
(NO2). EPA published the original transportation conformity 
rule on November 24, 1993 (58 FR 62188), and subsequently published 
several revisions. EPA develops the conformity regulations in 
coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal 
Transit Administration (FTA).
    Transportation conformity determinations are required before 
federal approval or funding is given to certain types of transportation 
planning documents as well as non-exempt highway and transit 
projects.\1\
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    \1\ Some projects are exempt from all or certain conformity 
requirements; see 40 CFR 93.126, 93.127, and 93.128.
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    EPA considered the following in renewing the existing ICR:
     Burden estimates for transportation conformity 
determinations (including both regional and project-level) in current 
nonattainment and maintenance areas for the ozone, PM2.5, 
PM10, and CO NAAQS;
     Federal burden associated with EPA's adequacy review 
process for submitted SIP motor vehicle emissions budgets that are to 
be used in conformity determinations;
     Efficiencies in areas making conformity determinations for 
multiple NAAQS;
     Differences in conformity resource needs in large and 
small metropolitan areas and isolated rural areas;
     Reduced burden from areas no longer determining conformity 
for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS due to revocation; \2\
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    \2\ See 81 FR 58010 (published on August 24, 2016 and effective 
October 24, 2016).
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     Reduced burden from areas completing 20 years of 
maintenance for PM10, NO2 and CO NAAQS, at which 
time transportation conformity is no longer required; and,
     Increased burden due to areas being designated as 
nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.\3\
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    \3\ See 83 FR 25776 (effective August 3, 2018) and 83 FR 35136 
(effective September 24, 2018) for San Antonio, Texas.
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    This ICR does not include burden associated with the general 
development of transportation planning

[[Page 58249]]

and air quality planning documents for meeting other federal 
requirements.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), state 
departments of transportation, local transit agencies, and state and 
local air quality agencies. Federal agencies potentially affected by 
this action include FHWA, FTA, and EPA.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory pursuant to Clean Air 
Act section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) and 40 CFR parts 51 and 93.
    Estimated number of respondents: EPA estimates that 109 MPOs will 
be subject to transportation conformity requirements during the period 
covered by this ICR and that EPA Regional Offices, the FHWA, and FTA 
will be involved in interagency consultation, and review of 
transportation-related conformity determinations performed by MPOs 
during this process. EPA also estimates that similar consultation will 
occur for projects in isolated rural areas.
    Frequency of response: The information collections described in 
this ICR must be completed before a transportation plan, TIP, or 
project conformity determination is made. The Clean Air Act requires 
conformity to be determined for transportation plans and TIPs every 
four years. Conformity determinations on projects in metropolitan and 
isolated rural areas are required on an as-needed basis.
    Total estimated burden: 35,344 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $2,247,525 (per year), includes zero 
annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is a decrease of 15,214 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to less burden associated with 
decreased conformity analyses for PM10, CO, 1997 
PM2.5, and NO2 NAAQS and a decrease in burden 
over the previous ICR for reduced emissions model transition and 
training burden.

    Dated: November 8, 2018.
Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation and Climate Division, Office of Transportation 
and Air Quality, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2018-25188 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
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