[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 225 (Friday, November 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 82497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25930]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2023-0049]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for 
Reinstatement of a Previously Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for reinstatement of a previously approved 
information collection.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request 
described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval of a new (periodic) information collection. We published a 
Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this 
information collection on May 26, 2023. We are required to publish this 
notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by December 26, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
0049 by any of the following methods:
    Website: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Corder, 202-366-5853, Office 
of Real Estate Services, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, 
between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: State Right-of-Way Operations Manuals.
    OMB Control #: 2125-0586.
    Background: It is the responsibility of each State Department of 
Transportation (State) to acquire, manage and dispose of real property 
in compliance with the legal requirements of State and Federal laws and 
regulations. Part of providing assurance of compliance is to describe 
in a right-of-way procedural (operations) manual the organization, 
policies, and procedures of the State to such an extent that these 
guide State employees, local acquiring agencies, and contractors who 
acquire and manage real property that is used for a federally funded 
transportation project. Procedural manuals assure the FHWA that the 
requirements of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property 
Acquisition Policies Act (Uniform Act) (implementing regulation 49 CFR 
24) will be met; as well as Federal laws under Title 23 U.S.C. 
(implementing regulation 23 CFR 710) will be met. The State 
responsibility to prepare and maintain an up-to-date, right-of-way 
procedural manual is set out in 23 CFR 710.201(c). In addition to the 
scheduled manual updates, lengthy, in-depth updates of each manual will 
be required due to the amending of 49 CFR 24 regulations as prompted by 
the enactment of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act 
(MAP-21). States are required to update manuals to reflect changes in 
Federal requirements for programs administered under Title 23 U.S.C (23 
CFR regulations) and Title 42 U.S.C. (49 CFR 24 regulations). The 
regulation allows States flexibility in determining how to meet the 
manual requirement. This flexibility allows States to prepare manuals 
in the format of their choosing, to the level of detail necessitated by 
State complexities. Each State decides how it will provide service to 
individuals and businesses affected by Federal or federally assisted 
projects, while at the same time reducing the burden of government 
regulation. The updated State manuals may be submitted to FHWA 
electronically or made available by posting on the State website. This 
collection is in line with DOT's strategic goal of organizational 
excellence.
    Respondents: Required update of manual--52 State Departments of 
Transportation, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (52 
respondents).
    23 CFR 710 regulatory revisions--52 State Departments of 
Transportation, including District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (52 
respondents).
    49 CFR 24 regulatory revisions--167 grantees (respondents) will 
have manuals that need to be updated.
    Frequency: Regular update of manual--Annual basis and certify every 
5 years.
    23 CFR 710 regulatory revisions--a one-time collection.
    49 CFR 24 regulatory revisions--a one-time collection.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Regular update of manual--15 
hours.
    23 CFR 710 regulatory revisions--225 hours.
    49 CFR 24 regulatory revisions--225 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
    Regular update of manual: 52 respondents x 15 hours = 780 burden 
hours.
    23 CFR 710 regulatory revisions: 52 respondents x 225 hours = 
11,700 burden hours.
    49 CFR 24 regulatory revisions: 167 respondents x 225 hours = 
37,575 burden hours.
    Total: 780 hrs. + 11,700 hrs. + 37,575 hrs. = 50,055 total burden 
hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued On: November 20, 2023.
Jazmyne Lewis,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-25930 Filed 11-22-23; 8:45 am]
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