Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of request for approval of a new information collection.

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 information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on June 23, 2015. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Please submit comments by May 23, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. 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 burden; (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. All comments should include the Docket No. FHWA-2016-0011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Damaris Santiago, 202-366-2034, Department of Transportation, FHWA, Office of Project Development and Environmental Review, E76-201, 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: FHWA Environmental Excellence Awards

Background: In 1995 FHWA established the biennial Environmental Excellence Awards to recognize partners, projects, and processes that use FHWA funding sources to go beyond environmental compliance and achieve environmental excellence. The Environmental Excellence Awards also recognize partners, projects, and processes that exemplify innovation and commitment to the human environment, and organization and process innovation. Awardees must make an outstanding contribution that goes beyond traditional transportation projects and that encourages environmental stewardship and partnerships to achieve a truly multi-faceted, environmentally sensitive transportation solution.

Award: Anyone can nominate a project, process, person or group that has used FHWA funding sources to make an outstanding contribution to transportation and the environment. The nominator is responsible for submitting an application via the FHWA Environmental Excellence Awards Web site that gives a summary of the outstanding accomplishments of the entry. The collected information will be used by FHWA to evaluate the project, showcase environmental excellence, and enhance the public's knowledge of environmental stewardship in the planning and project development process. Nominations will be reviewed by a panel of judges from varying backgrounds. It is anticipated that awards will be given every 2 years. The winners are presented plaques at an awards ceremony.

Respondents: Anyone who has used FHWA funding sources in the 50 States, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.

Frequency: The information will be collected biennially.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: 8 hours per respondent per application.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: It is expected that the respondents will complete approximately 150 applications for an estimated total of 1200 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.