[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14835-14836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04153]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0269; FRL-11794-01-OMS]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to Office of 
Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; 
Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and 
Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Transportation Conformity 
Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, 
Programs, and Projects (EPA ICR Number 2130.07, OMB Control Number 
2060-0561), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a 
proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through 
February 29, 2024. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on August 8, 2023 and the comment period was open for 
60 days. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before April 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to EPA, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OAR-2007-0269, to EPA 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

[[Page 14836]]

information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Letterly, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 
Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number 734-214-4340, 
email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through February 29, 2024. An agency may 
not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.
    Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register 
on August 8, 2023 during a 60-day comment period (88 FR 53483). This 
notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. Supporting 
documents which explain in detail the information that the 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.
    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 interim milestones.
    Transportation conformity applies under EPA's conformity 
regulations at 40 CFR part 93, subpart A, to areas that are designated 
nonattainment and maintenance areas 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 
has subsequently published several revisions. EPA develops the 
conformity regulations in coordination with the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The 
federal government needs information collected under these regulations 
to ensure that metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and federal 
transportation actions are consistent with state air quality goals.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: MPOs, local transit agencies, state 
departments of transportation, and state and local air quality 
agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory pursuant to Clean Air 
Act section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) and 40 CFR part 93.
    Estimated number of respondents: 145 (total).
    Frequency of response: Typically, once every four years for 
transportation plans and TIPs, and for the largest MPOs with three or 
more NAAQS, once every three years for transportation plans and TIPs. 
As needed for projects.
    Total estimated burden: 42,481 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $2,946,914 (per year), which includes $0 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 6,190 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease in burden was projected due to the 
requirement for transportation conformity ending in PM10, 
NO2, and CO maintenance areas that have reached the end of 
the 20-year maintenance period.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Information Engagement Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-04153 Filed 2-28-24; 8:45 am]
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