[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 72 (Friday, April 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25913-25917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07810]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2024-0047]


Request for Information on Goals, Criteria, Thresholds, and 
Measurable Data Sources for Designating the National Multimodal Freight 
Network

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Maritime Administration (MARAD), 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Great Lakes St. 
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), and Pipelines and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

ACTION: 60-Day day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or Department) DOT 
is seeking information from the public, and in particular multimodal 
freight system users, transportation providers, metropolitan planning 
organizations, local governments, ports, airports, railroads, freight 
forwarders, brokers, other supply chain logisticians, scholars, and 
States on the best approach to identify critical freight facilities and 
corridors that will make up a National Multimodal Freight Network 
(NMFN) that is vital to achieving the national multimodal

[[Page 25914]]

freight policy goals of the United States. DOT is issuing this Request 
for Information (RFI) to solicit input on how to prioritize the 
statutory goals of, and the statutory factors for designating, the 
NMFN, as well as measurable thresholds, criteria, and data sources for 
designating the NMFN. Informed by comments received in response to this 
RFI, DOT will draft a proposed network map to be published for public 
comment in the Late Spring of 2024 and provide an opportunity for 
States to provide input to submit additions to the network. After the 
final, subsequent comment period, DOT will review and approve 
additional designations for the NMFN by States and designate the final 
NMFN by December of 2024.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 11, 2024 to receive 
consideration by DOT with respect to the draft designation of the NMFN.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is (202) 366-
9329.
     Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket 
number at the beginning of your comments. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Baumer, 202-366-1092 or email 
[email protected].

Background

    Section 70103 of title 49, United States Code, which was 
established in section 8001 of the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation (FAST) Act, Public Law 114-94 (Dec. 4, 2015) and amended 
by section 21103 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), 
Public Law 117-58 (Nov. 15, 2021), directs the Assistant Secretary for 
Multimodal Freight to establish a NMFN that will be used to: (1) assist 
States in strategically directing resources toward improved system 
performance for the efficient movement of freight on the NMFN; (2) 
inform freight transportation planning; (3) assist in the 
prioritization of Federal investment; and (4) assess and support 
Federal investments to achieve the national multimodal freight policy 
goals described in 49 U.S.C. 70101(b), and the national highway freight 
program goals described in 23 U.S.C. 167. DOT is directed to designate 
the NMFN after soliciting input from stakeholders through a public 
process and providing notice and comment on a draft system, with the 
goal of using measurable data as part of assessment of the significance 
of freight movement, to improve network and intermodal connectivity. 
DOT is requesting input from a broad cross section of stakeholders, but 
Section 70103 also provides a process for States to propose specific 
additions to the NMFN, referred to as ``State Input''. States must 
consider nominations from freight stakeholders within their State, and 
ensure proposed additions are consistent with their State 
transportation improvement program or state freight plan. DOT 
anticipates requesting those additions this summer, at the same time as 
DOT requests input on the Draft Network.
    The FAST Act directed DOT to establish an Interim NMFN based on 
criteria laid out in the statute. DOT published the Interim Network on 
June 16, 2016, and the public was invited to submit comments to the 
docket \1\ through September 6, 2016. In the Federal Register notice, 
DOT posed several questions for the public to consider, and States and 
other stakeholders were provided the opportunity to submit additional 
designations for consideration for inclusion into the Final NMFN, which 
was then to be designated by the Under Secretary of Transportation for 
Policy. DOT subsequently reopened and extended the comment period on 
the Interim NMFN on October 25, 2017.\2\ DOT received 126 comments 
during the duration of the two public comment periods, ending in 
February 2018.
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    \1\ 81 FR 36381.
    \2\ 82 FR 49478.
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    The freight transportation system has undergone significant changes 
in the time since the Department last solicited comments and additional 
designations for the Interim NMFN. With more data and information 
available, and the removal of any reference to the Interim NMFN by 
section 21103 of the IIJA, DOT has decided to reopen the NMFN 
designation process with this Request for Information.
    The Department is requesting comments on several questions that are 
posed below. DOT will use this input to inform a draft NMFN, which DOT 
anticipates publishing in Late Spring 2024. Following publication of 
the draft network, DOT will establish a process to receive additional 
designations from the States via the ``State Input'' process outlined 
in statute49 U.S.C. 70103(b)(4). DOT expects to publish the final NMFN 
by the end of the calendar year. In order to meet that timeline, States 
should anticipate a 90-day window to provide their additional 
designations and associated State Input certifications.

The National Multimodal Freight Network vs. the National Highway 
Freight Network (NHFN)

    Statutorily, the NMFN and the National Highway Freight Network 
(NHFN) serve similar goals. However, as currently authorized, the 
designation of the National Multimodal Freight Network does not have an 
impact on the National Highway Freight Network or the use of National 
Highway Freight Program (NHFP) formula funding. The process for 
designating the NMFN is being undertaken separately from the 
designation and re-designation of the NHFN, however, DOT is considering 
approaches that will maintain consistency between both networks
    The Fast Act, as codified at 23 U.S.C 167(c), directed the FHWA 
Administrator to establish the NHFN to strategically direct Federal 
resources and policies toward improved performance of the NHFN. The 
NHFN includes the Primary Highway Freight System PHFS), which 
identifies the most critical highway portions of the U.S freight 
transportation system as determined by measurable and objective data. 
Other portions of the Interstate are included in the NHFN as well. 
States may designate Critical Rural Freight Corridors (CRFCs) and 
States, in coordination with MPOs, can also designate Critical Urban 
Freight Corridors (CUFCs). The FHWA Administrator is required to re-
designate the PHFS every 5 years. DOT released the re-designated PHFS 
on December 2, 2022, and the next PHFS re-designation is due in 2027. 
More details on NHFN are available at https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/infrastructure/nfn/index.htm.

National Multimodal Freight Network Designation

    Section 70103(b)(2) of Title 49, United States Code, directs DOT to 
consider twelve distinct factors in designating the route miles and 
facilities on the NMFN:
    1. Origins and destinations of freight movement within, to, and 
from the United States;
    2. Volume, value, tonnage, and the strategic importance of freight;

[[Page 25915]]

    3. Access to border crossings, airports, seaports, and pipelines;
    4. Economic factors, including balance of trade;
    5. Access to major areas for manufacturing, agriculture, or natural 
resources;
    6. Access to energy exploration, development, installation, and 
production areas;
    7. Intermodal links and intersections that promote connectivity;
    8. Freight choke points and other impediments contributing to 
significant measurable congestion, delay in freight movement, or 
inefficient modal connections;
    9. Impacts on all freight transportation modes and modes that share 
significant freight infrastructure;
    10. Facilities and transportation corridors identified by a multi-
State coalition, a State, a State freight advisory committee, or an 
MPO, using national or local data, as having critical freight 
importance to the region;
    11. Major distribution centers, inland intermodal facilities, and 
first- and last-mile facilities; \3\ and
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    \3\ For the purposes of this RFI, DOT proposes that the 
definition for `major distribution centers, inland intermodal 
facilities, and first- and last-mile facilities include both those 
specific points, such as manufacturers, distribution points, rail 
intermodal, and port facilities, that handle high volumes of 
freight, and specific transportation assets, such as roadways, rail 
lines, or inland waterways, that provide the primary means of 
transport in the case of first mile, or to the final delivery point 
in the case of last mile.
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    12. The significance of goods movement, including consideration of 
global and domestic supply chains.
    In considering the above factors, DOT is also directed to use, to 
the extent practicable, measurable data.\4\
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    \4\ See 49 U.S.C. 70103(c)(3).
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    DOT seeks comments on three primary areas for designating the NMFN. 
The first area seeks feedback from stakeholders on the NMFN goals. The 
second area asks stakeholders to prioritize the 12 factors listed 
above. The third area seeks comment on the potential thresholds, 
criteria, and data sources that correspond to one or more of the twelve 
factors, including a discussion of why the thresholds, criteria and 
data sources should be considered for designating the Final NMFN.

National Multimodal Freight Network Goals

    1. Which of the following purposes is most important to ensuring 
the NMFN provides a foundation for the U.S. to compete in the global 
economy and why?
    a. Prioritizing federal formula or discretionary grant investment.
    b. Assisting States and local governments with strategically 
directing investments towards overall improved freight system 
performance.
    c. Informing freight infrastructure planning and land use planning 
by state and local governments and private sector owners and operators.
    d. Informing a national, integrated, and multimodal supply chain 
strategy.
    2. How do you plan to use the National Multimodal Freight Network 
once it is designated?

Statutory Factors for Designation

    3. How should DOT prioritize the twelve factors in designating 
route miles and facilities on the NMFN? Which factors are most 
important to ensuring the network provides a foundation for the U.S. to 
compete in the global economy? Which factors are most important to 
ensuring the NMFN serves regional and state goals?

Measurable Thresholds, Criteria, and Data

    4. Among the various statutory factors, volume, value, and tonnage 
are among some of the most quantifiable and readily comparable across 
modes and routes/corridors within modes. What thresholds should DOT 
consider for volume, value, and tonnage for designating the NMFN? For 
reference, DOT has provided examples below.
    a. Highway network: Prior to the current PHFS, FHWA's proposed a 
2015 Highway Primary Freight Network \5\ designation in 2015 that 
included a threshold of 8,500 Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) \6\ or 
greater for Interstates and other roads as a baseline threshold for 
identifying significant roadways in urban areas with a population of 
200,000 or more. For non-Interstate routes, thresholds included a daily 
average of at least 3,000 trucks and having proximate land use or 
connectivity demonstrating indicators of national significance. Border 
crossings carrying an annual average of at least 75,000 trucks is 
another example consideration.
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    \5\ https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-10-23/pdf/2015-27036.pdf.
    \6\ At approximately 16 tons per truck, 8,500 trucks per day 
equates to approximately 50 million tons per year.
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    The Interim NMFN designated by DOT in 2016 incorporated the full 
NHFN, which includes the PHFS, the remaining Interstate miles, and 
Critical Urban and Critical Rural Freight Corridors designated by the 
States. The Department invites comments regarding whether the final 
NMFN should incorporate the full NHFN, or whether the highway portion 
of the NMFN should include additional or fewer routes relative to the 
NHFN and why.
    b. Rail network: FHWA's 2008 Freight Story identified rail lines 
that carry 50 million tons in bulk cargo per year as significant for 
freight.\7\ Other example considerations include rail routes that fall 
within the top two thirds volume and/or value thresholds based on 
Carload Waybill data. The top 50 bulk origination/destination markets 
and the top 25 intermodal origination/destination markets may be 
another consideration.
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    \7\ https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/Freight/freight_analysis/freight_story/fs2008.pdf.
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    c. Maritime Network: The Congress required the Interim NMFN \8\ to 
include ports that handle at least 2,000,000 short tons of domestic and 
foreign trade annually, as well as other ports designated as commercial 
strategic seaports, based on data from the USACE Waterway Commerce 
Statistics. The value of goods handled by a port facility could also be 
used as a factor as well. Waterways (including inland river and coastal 
ocean routes) carrying more than 1.5 million tons of cargo are an 
example threshold consideration as well.
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    \8\ https://www.transportation.gov/administrations/office-policy/interim-national-multimodal-freight-network.
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    d. Aviation Network: The Interim NMFN was designated based on the 
landed overall weight collected from FAA's Air Carrier Activity 
Information System (ACAIS), but an alternative approach could use 
landed origin and destination cargo weight data based on the BTS T-100 
database. ACAIS data captures operations only by all-cargo aircraft 
whereas BTS T-100 data includes cargo transported both by all-cargo 
aircraft and as belly cargo in other aircraft operations. A potential 
threshold could be airports with at least 0.5% of cargo weight at all 
airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), 
based on BTS-100 data.
    5. Which of the 12 factors are most important for identifying 
network components that are critical to our economy but that may not 
stand out on a volume or value basis?
    6. DOT has identified potential data sources for each of the 12 
factors, below. Are there other data sources or approaches DOT should 
consider in applying these factors to the NMFN designation? Are there 
any concerns with using a particular data source listed below for the 
associated factor?

[[Page 25916]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Section 70103(b)(2) factor             Potential data sources
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Factor 1: Origins and destinations of     Freight Analysis
 freight movement within, to, and from    Framework.
 the United States.                       TransBorder Freight
                                          Data.
                                          Commodity Flow Survey.
                                          U.S. Census Bureau
                                          U.S--Foreign Trade Data.
                                          U.S. Customs and
                                          Border Protection.
                                          National Automatic
                                          Identification System (NAIS)
                                          Data.
                                          Energy Information
                                          Agency (EIA) Data.
                                          AMS Data North
                                          American Rail Network (NARN).
Factor 2: volume, value, tonnage, and     Highway Performance
 the strategic importance of freight.     Monitoring System (HPMS).
                                          Freight Analysis
                                          Framework.
                                          Carload Waybill data &
                                          FRA GIS Waybill Toolkit.
                                          USACE Waterborne
                                          Commerce.
                                          Air Carrier Activity
                                          Information System (ACAIS).
                                          BTS-T-100.
                                          St. Lawrence Seaway
                                          Annual Traffic Reports.
                                          U.S. Census Bureau
                                          U.S--Foreign Trade Data.
                                          U.S. Customs and
                                          Border Protection.
                                          EIA Data.
                                          AMS Data.
Factor 3: access to border crossings,     National
 airports, seaports, and pipelines.       Transportation Atlas Database
                                          (NTAD).
                                          GIS mileage radius to
                                          border crossings, airports,
                                          seaports.
Factor 4: economic factors, including     TradeStats.
 balance of trade.                        Federal Reserve
                                          Board's Industrial Production
                                          Index Program.
                                          Census Bureau Real
                                          Wholesale Trade Survey
                                          estimates.
                                          BEA data on real
                                          retail trade sales.
Factor 5: access to major areas for       Bureau of Economic
 manufacturing, agriculture, or natural   Analysis: Real Manufacturing
 resources.                               GDP by state.
                                          Annual Survey of
                                          Manufacturer State-Level Value
                                          of Shipments at 4-Digit NAICS
                                          Level.
                                          Quarterly Census of
                                          Employment and Wages data at
                                          the state level.
                                          USDA Open Ag Data on
                                          Trucking.
Factor 6: access to energy exploration,   EIA energy
 development, installation, and           infrastructure map.
 production areas.                        DOT hydrogen hubs map.
                                          Maps of ZEV charging/
                                          fueling infrastructure
                                          installed or planned.
Factor 7: intermodal links and            National
 intersections that promote               Transportation Atlas Database
 connectivity.                            (NTAD).
                                          GIS mileage radius to
                                          intermodal facilities.
                                          HPMS.
Factor 8: freight choke points and        Federal Highway
 other impediments contributing to        Administration (FHWA) Freight
 significant measurable congestion,       Mobility Trends: Truck Hours
 delay in freight movement, or            of Delay.
 inefficient modal connections.           National Performance
                                          Management Research Data Set.
                                          GHG emissions reported
                                          from ports.
Factor 9: impacts on all freight          Commodity Flow Survey.
 transportation modes and modes that      Freight Analysis
 share significant freight                Framework.
 infrastructure.
Factor 10: facilities and                 Direct input from
 transportation corridors identified by   States.
 a multi-State coalition, a State, a      Direct input from
 State freight advisory committee, or a   multi-State corridor
 metropolitan planning organization,      coalitions.
 using national or local data, as         Direct input from
 having critical freight importance to    MPOs.
 the region.                              Direct input from
                                          local agencies and other
                                          stakeholders.
Factor 11: major distribution centers,    Quarterly census of
 inland intermodal facilities, and        employment and wages data at
 first- and last-mile facilities.         the MSA level.
                                          NTAD.
                                          Publicly available ZEV
                                          charging/fueling maps.
Factor 12: the significance of goods      Commodity Flow Survey.
 movement, including consideration of     Freight Analysis
 global and domestic supply chains.       Framework.
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Multimodal Freight Data Resources and Weblinks: https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/fpcb/dataLibrary.aspx.

    7. In addition to the statutory factors listed, how should DOT take 
into account the factors below in designating the NMFN?
    a. Safety (including truck parking).
    b. Climate and Sustainability (including freight related efforts to 
decarbonize, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, reduce criteria and 
other air pollutants, and improve resilience).
    c. Equity (including mitigating impacts on disadvantaged 
communities, addressing Environmental Justice).
    d. National Defense (including strategic networks such as STRAHNET 
\9\ and STRACNET,\10\ and DOD/Strategic Ports).
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    \9\ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2004cpr/chap18.cfm.
    \10\ https://www.sddc.army.mil/sites/TEA/Functions/SpecialAssistant/Pages/RailroadsNationalDefense.aspx.
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    e. Consistency with other federally designated networks including 
the EV freight network and the Zero-emission vehicle freight strategy.
    f. Transformation (including emerging technologies and innovation).
    8. What other considerations should the DOT take into account in 
designating the NMFN?

Schedule

    This RFI is the first step in a multi-step process to designate the 
Final NMFN. Informed by the public comments received on this notice, 
the DOT expects to publish a Draft National Multimodal Freight Network 
later this spring. At that time, the Department will seek comment on 
the Draft network from all stakeholders, and will also seek additional 
designations from the States as described in the State Input process in 
49 U.S.C. 70103(b)(4). States should

[[Page 25917]]

prepare to consider nominations for additional designations from 
metropolitan planning organizations, state freight advisory committees, 
and owners and operators of port, rail, pipeline, and airport 
facilities, and ensure that those designations are consistent with the 
State transportation improvement program or freight plan. Additional 
guidance on the State Input process will be published with the Draft 
network. The Department plans to publish the Final NMFN, with State 
additions, by the end of the 2024.

Public Comment

    The DOT invites comments by all those interested in the NMFN. 
Comments on the criteria for the final NMFN may be submitted and viewed 
at Docket Number DOT-OST-2024-0047. Comments must be received on or 
before June 11, 2024 to receive full consideration by DOT with respect 
to the final designation of the NMFN. After June 11, 2024, comments 
will continue to be available for viewing by the public.

    Issue Date: April 8, 2024.
Allison L. Dane Camden,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight.
[FR Doc. 2024-07810 Filed 4-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P