[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 180 (Friday, September 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45306-45307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-18168]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2025-0202]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by November 18, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
0202 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 Maiefski, 
[email protected], (402) 326-7960, or Gregory Danis, 
[email protected], (202) 366-4000, Office of Competitive Grants and 
Workforce Programs, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Office 
hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Scenic Byway Program (NSBP).
    Background: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administers 
the NSBP. It was established by the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act of 1991 in Section 162 of

[[Page 45307]]

Title 23, United States Code (U.S.C.), and reauthorized and expanded 
significantly in 1998 under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century and again under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users in 2005. The NSBP is a 
grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, 
preserve, and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. 
Before 2019, Congress last authorized discretionary NSBP funds in 2012 
under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012. Between 1992 
and 2012, FHWA awarded over $505 million in NSBP grants. In 2022, FHWA 
awarded approximately $21.8 million in grants to 33 projects.
    Respondents: The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), announcing 
up to $34.3 million of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, 2024, and 2025 funding 
for the National Scenic Byways Program (NSBP) discretionary grants, 
will be available for State DOTs and Federally Recognized Indian Tribes 
on grants.gov. FHWA is expecting roughly 200 applicants to apply for 
NSBP grant funding.
    Frequency: NOFOs and grant solicitations will be published annually 
by FHWA but, are subject to the availability of funds in appropriations 
or, any legislation signed into law authorizing funds.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 3 hours per respondent per 
applicant.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is expected that the 
respondents will complete approximately 200 applications for an 
estimated total of 600 annual burden hours.
    Title: National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant 
Program (Culvert AOP).
    Background: FHWA administers the Culvert AOP. It was established by 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in section 21203 of IIJA 
and codified at 49 U.S.C. 6703. The Culvert AOP Program prioritizes 
projects that would improve fish passage for: (A) anadromous fish 
stocks listed as an endangered species or a threatened species under 
section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533); (B) 
anadromous fish stocks identified by the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that could 
reasonably become listed as an endangered species or a threatened 
species under that section; (C) anadromous fish stocks identified by 
the NMFS or the USFWS as prey for endangered species, threatened 
species, or protected species, including Southern resident orcas 
(Orcinus orca); or (D) anadromous fish stocks identified by the NMFS or 
the USFWS as climate resilient stocks. 49 U.S.C. 6703(e)(1). The 
program also prioritizes projects that would open up more than 200 
meters of upstream habitat for anadromous fish before the end of the 
natural habitat. Under IIJA, Congress authorized $1 billion for Fiscal 
Years (FY) 2022 through 2026 to provide financial assistance to Culvert 
AOP Program eligible projects. In 2022, FHWA awarded $196 million in 
grants to 59 tribal, state and, local governments to fix or remove 169 
culvert barriers to improve fish passage.
    Respondents: The NOFO announcing up to $788.1 million of Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, funding for Culvert AOP 
competitive grants will be available for tribal, state, and local 
governments on grants.gov. FHWA is expecting roughly 200 applicants to 
apply for Culvert AOP grant funding.
    Frequency: NOFOs and grant solicitations may be published annually 
by FHWA but are subject to the availability of funds in appropriations 
or any legislation signed into law authorizing funds.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 3 hours per respondent per 
applicant.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is expected that the 
respondents will complete approximately 200 applications for each 
program, for an estimated total of 600 annual 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: September 17, 2025.
Jazmyne Lewis,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-18168 Filed 9-18-25; 8:45 am]
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