[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 202 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66403-66404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23069]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of an Emergency Approval of Information Collection: Runway to 
Recovery Recommendations To Help Airports and Airlines Mitigate the 
Risks of COVID-19 Transmission

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for emergency OMB approval and public 
comment.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) emergency approval for a new information 
collection. The collection involves determining the extent to which 
U.S. airlines and certificated U.S. airports have been able to 
implement practices recommended to reduce and mitigate the risks of 
COVID-19 transmission during air travel. FAA is collecting this 
information on behalf of multiple agencies that will use the 
information collected to gauge implementation, identify the impact of 
recommended practices on aviation safety and operations, understand 
potential barriers to implementation, and identify additional 
mitigation practices. If granted, the emergency approval is only valid 
for 180 days. FAA plans to follow this emergency request with a 
submission for a 3-year approval through OMB's normal PRA clearance 
process.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by November 18, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

[[Page 66404]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tip Stinnette by email at 
[email protected] or phone at 202-768-5642.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Comments Invited: You are asked to 
comment on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA's 
performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA 
to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without 
reducing the quality of the collected information.
    OMB Control Number: 2120-XXXX.
    Title: Runway to Recovery Recommendations to Help Airports and 
Airlines Mitigate the Risks of COVID-19 Transmission.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: Emergency approval of an information collection.
    Background: The FAA is developing this collection to gather 
information on the United States' implementation of measures by 
airports and airlines to mitigate COVID-19-related risks and to restore 
aviation, in accordance with recommendations in the joint federal 
agency guidance Runway to Recovery: The United States Framework for 
Airlines and Airports to Mitigate the Public Health Risks of 
Coronavirus.\1\ As described in Runway to Recovery, the adoption of the 
mitigation measures by airports and airlines is vital to reducing the 
spread of the virus in the air transportation system and restoring the 
confidence of passengers and the aviation workforce in air travel, both 
of which are critical to the recovery of the aviation industry. The 
information collection will help to identify the specific mitigation 
measures used by airports and airlines to stop the spread of COVID-19 
and to assess the impact these measures are having on aviation safety 
and operations, reduction of public health risk, and security and 
resiliency of the air transport system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ U.S. DOT, HHS, DHS, Runway to Recovery: The United States 
Framework for Airlines and Airports to Mitigate the Public Health 
Risks of Coronavirus (July 2020), available at https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/runway-recovery.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FAA is conducting this information collection on behalf of agencies 
that issued Runway to Recovery: Department of Transportation, 
Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human 
Services.
    As provided under 5 CFR 1320.13, DOT is requesting emergency 
processing for this new collection of information as specified in the 
PRA and its implementing regulations. DOT cannot reasonably comply with 
normal clearance procedures because an appropriate response to the 
COVID-19 public health emergency requires immediate action to ensure 
the safety and welfare of the traveling public. Upon OMB approval of 
its emergency clearance request, FAA will follow the normal clearance 
procedures for this information collection.
    Use: FAA will use this information to update the International 
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on the progress of U.S. airports and 
airlines implementing safety, security, and public health measures to 
mitigate risks associated with COVID-19. FAA will share the collected 
information with the federal agencies that issued Runway to Recovery 
(Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security and Health and Human 
Services). FAA will also share the collected information with airports 
and airlines.
    The collected data will be used to:
     Assess the extent to which airports and airlines have 
implemented the recommended mitigation practices in the Runway to 
Recovery document;
     Help identify the impact of these practices on aviation 
safety and operations, reduction of public health risk, and the 
security and resiliency of the air transportation system;
     Better understand potential barriers airports and airlines 
are facing when they implement these recommendations; and
     Identify success stories and additional practices that 
airports and airlines are using to help prevent the spread of the 
virus, inspire confidence among the traveling public, and further 
ensure the safety of passengers and the aviation workforce.
Based on collected data, FAA, DOT, DHS, or HHS may recommend changes 
and/or additions to the mitigation measures identified in the Runway to 
Recovery document.
    Respondents: Approximately 520 airport owners/managers and 60 
airline representatives.
    Frequency: Information will be collected approximately every 2 
months over a 6-month period.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 20-25 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 60-75 minutes per respondent.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Roberto Gonzalez,
Deputy Director, Foundational Business, Flight Standards, Office of 
Aviation Safety.
[FR Doc. 2020-23069 Filed 10-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P