Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement of the Department of Veterans Affairs Housing Loan Program, 32952-32953 [2018-15073]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices
carrier vehicle maintenance practices as
a result of an intervention; significant
benefits of interventions; and ways the
intervention process could be improved.
Information provided by the IE Group
will address the portion of Objective 2
regarding sufficiency of regulations and
where interventions need to be
improved to facilitate complying with
these regulations.
Survey responses will be summarized
and reported using plots, tables, content
analysis, and calculated summary
statistics. Plots and tables will provide
a visual comparison of multiple choice
and checkbox survey responses for
successful carriers (i.e., carriers in the
RP Group) and those receiving
interventions in the last 24 months (i.e.,
carriers in the IE Group). These methods
will also allow researchers to
summarize responses by carrier
operation type (i.e., truck or bus) and
size. Bar charts will be used to plot
responses to many survey questions.
Some survey responses may be
summarized with tables with rows for
each of the carrier operation types (truck
or bus) and each carrier-size subgroup.
To explore and summarize responses to
open-ended survey questions,
researchers will use content analysis
methods. An illustration of an openended question in the survey is ‘‘List
examples of critical safety-related
maintenance activities for trailer vehicle
milestones.’’ The goal of content
analysis of open-ended questions will
be to identify common answers.
The results of this information
collection will be documented in a
technical report to be delivered to and
published by FMCSA. In addition, the
results will be used to create a
‘‘recommended best practices’’ report
that will outline minimum standards for
inspection intervals, mechanic
qualifications and training, and
certification of maintenance facilities.
Finally, VTTI is required under the
contract with FMCSA to compile and
analyze the collected information and
develop a public-use data set.
This ICR is for a one-time data
collection. If this data collection does
not take place, the truck and bus
industry would continue to operate with
the uncertainty of what a ‘‘systematic
maintenance’’ program, as currently
worded in section 396.3(a), consists of.
This term’s ambiguous definition makes
it difficult for federal and state
inspectors to evaluate the effectiveness
of a carrier’s maintenance program or its
compliance with this provision.
Furthermore, this uncertainty may make
it difficult for carriers to ascertain and
therefore comply with the regulation’s
intent.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:31 Jul 13, 2018
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Title: Truck and Bus Maintenance
Requirements and Their Impact on
Safety.
OMB Control Number: 2126–XXXX.
Type of Request: New information
collection.
Respondents: Freight motor carriers
and passenger carriers.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
578 respondents [578 respondents will
complete the Online Recruitment
Survey. Of those 578 respondents, 289
will also complete the Carrier
Maintenance Manager Survey].
Estimated Time per Response: Varies
[Online Recruitment Survey: 5 minutes.
Carrier Maintenance Manager Survey:
45 minutes].
Expiration Date: 3 years after
approval.
Frequency of Response: Once.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 265
hours [Online Recruitment Survey: 578
respondents × (5 minutes ÷ 60 minutes)
= 48 hours; Carrier Maintenance
Manager Survey: 289 respondents × (45
minutes ÷ 60 minutes) = 217 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 performance of
FMCSA’s functions; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burden; (3) ways for
FMCSA to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected
information; and (4) ways that the
burden could be minimized without
reducing the quality of the collected
information. The agency will summarize
or include your comments in the request
for OMB’s clearance of this information
collection.
Issued under the authority of 49 CFR 1.87
on: July 10, 2018.
Kelly Regal,
Associate Administrator for Office of
Research and Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2018–15151 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement of the Department of
Veterans Affairs Housing Loan
Program
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Under the authority of the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and its implementing
regulations, VA intends to prepare a
Programmatic Environmental Impact
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00121
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Statement (PEIS) to evaluate the
potential direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental
consequences of continued operation
and administration of VA’s Housing
Loan Program (HLP). VA’s reference to
the HLP includes federal assistance,
administered by the Veterans Benefits
Administration (VBA), in the form of
loans made, insured, or guaranteed by
VA. It also includes housing benefits
that can be used in conjunction with the
HLP (e.g., the Specially Adapted
Housing program). Under the HLP, VBA
is also responsible for the management,
marketing, and disposition of real estate
owned (REO) properties that VA
acquires following the foreclosure of
certain VA-guaranteed loans and loans
held in VA’s portfolio. This notice
opens the public scoping phase and
invites interested parties to identify
potential issues, concerns, and
reasonable alternatives that should be
considered in the PEIS. Following the
scoping meeting referenced below, a
Draft PEIS will be prepared and
circulated for public comment.
DATES: All written comments should be
submitted by August 15, 2018.
VA invites federal, state, tribal, and
local entities; non-profit organizations;
businesses; interested parties; and the
general public to comment on the
proposed scope and content of the PEIS.
VA will consider all scoping comments
in developing the PEIS. VA will conduct
a public scoping meeting on Thursday,
August 2, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel
and Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli
Road, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The
scoping meeting will afford the public
an opportunity to learn more about the
project and provide input on the
environmental analysis process. During
the meeting, VA will provide an
overview of the project, as well as
details regarding the PEIS scope,
purpose, and need. VA will also outline
the overall NEPA process. Additionally,
VA will post a scoping presentation on
a publicly available website during the
30-day scoping period. Such
presentation will be available at https://
www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/
environmental_impact.asp.
Proposed Actions and Alternatives:
VA’s Proposed Action is to continue
administering the HLP and
incorporating programmatic changes as
necessitated by amendments to program
authorities, Veteran need, market
conditions, and factors not foreseen at
the time of this publication.
VA’s No Action Alternative refers to
a scenario wherein VA operates the HLP
in a manner consistent with policies
E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM
16JYN1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices
and procedures as of fiscal year 2017
(October 1, 2016 through September 30,
2017). The No Action Alternative is
being presented as a snapshot in time to
provide a baseline from which to
compare the Proposed Action.
Nevertheless, the No Action Alternative
is likely unrealistic, as it assumes that
HLP policies and requirements are
frozen, and thereby does not account for
subsequent programmatic
improvements, legislation, Executive
Branch directives, or other
requirements.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
submitted through https://
www.regulations.gov; by mail or hand
delivery to the Director, Office of
Regulation Policy and Management
(00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW,
Room 1063B, Washington DC 20420; or
by fax to 202–273–9026. Comments
should indicate that they are submitted
in response to ‘‘Notice of Intent to
Prepare a Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statement of the Department of
Veterans Affairs Housing Loan
Program’’. Copies of comments received
will be available for public inspection in
the Office of Regulation Policy and
Management (00REG), Department of
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW,
Room 1063B, Washington, DC 20420,
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday (except
Federal holidays). Please call (202) 461–
4902 (this is not a toll-free number) for
an appointment. During the comment
period, comments may also be viewed
online through the Federal Docket
Management System at
www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elysium Drumm, VA Housing Loan
Program, at 202–632–8790 or
VAHLPNEPA.VBAVACO@va.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The most
significant element of the HLP is the
provision of housing benefits that assist
eligible Veterans in financing the
purchase, construction, repair, or
improvement of a home for their
personal occupancy. See 38 U.S.C. 3701
et seq. VBA administers these and other
housing benefits, such as assistance to
Veterans who want to adapt their
homes, to assist Veterans in readjusting
to civilian life. The HLP provides what
can be, for some Veterans, their sole
opportunity to obtain crucial housing
loans and adaptations.
Through this PEIS, VA is using the
NEPA process to evaluate the potential
physical, environmental, cultural, and
socioeconomic effects of the HLP; to
invite public participation; and to assist
with and inform future agency planning
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:31 Jul 13, 2018
Jkt 244001
and decision making related to the HLP.
The PEIS will also evaluate the HLP,
which assists hundreds of thousands of
Veterans each year across the United
States and its territories, to ensure that
VA appropriately considers the human
environmental elements and effects
specified in 40 CFR 1508.8 (i.e.,
ecological, aesthetic, historic, cultural,
economic, social, or health, whether
direct, indirect, or cumulative) in
carrying out the various elements and
aspects of the program. This PEIS is
unique in that it addresses an existing
program, and VA has no specific or
immediate need to change its
operational structure or procedures to
address environmental impacts.
Furthermore, the making of loan
guaranties, direct loans, and grants do
not typically, in and of themselves,
result in direct environmental impacts.
Environmental impacts, if they occur,
would be the result of private citizen
actions (e.g., construction of a house
funded by VA-guaranteed loan
financing) related to a specific property.
In this case, the primary environmental
impacts of concern for VA would be the
potential indirect impacts from
homeowner actions and the potentially
significant cumulative impacts of small
incremental actions on local and
regional resources.
As part of the scoping process, VA
encourages federal, state, tribal, and
local entities; non-profit organizations;
businesses; interested parties; and the
general public to provide input on any
areas of environmental concern relevant
to the HLP, and suggestions regarding
potential environmental impacts that
should be evaluated. VA will consult
with such parties during VA’s
preparation of the PEIS.
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or
designee, approved this document and
authorized the undersigned to sign and
submit the document to the Office of the
Federal Register for publication
electronically as an official document of
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Deputy Chief of
Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs,
approved this document on July 10,
2018, for publication.
Dated: July 10, 2018.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy
& Management, Office of the Secretary,
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018–15073 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
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32953
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
[OMB Control No. 2900–0609]
Agency Information Collection
Activity: Survey of Veteran Enrollees’
Health and Use of Health Care
Veterans Health
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Veterans Health
Administration, Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA), is announcing an
opportunity for public comment on the
proposed collection of certain
information by the agency. Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of
1995, Federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each renewal of
a currently approved collection, and
allow 60 days for public comment in
response to the notice.
DATES: Written comments and
recommendations on the proposed
collection of information should be
received on or before September 14,
2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments
on the collection of information through
Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov or to
Brian McCarthy, Office of Regulatory
and Administrative Affairs (10B4),
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810
Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20420 or email to Brian.McCarthy4@
va.gov. Please refer to ‘‘OMB Control
No. 2900–0609’’ in any correspondence.
During the comment period, comments
may be viewed online through FDMS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian McCarthy at (202) 615–9241.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
PRA of 1995, Federal agencies must
obtain approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for each
collection of information they conduct
or sponsor. This request for comment is
being made pursuant to Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
With respect to the following
collection of information, VHA invites
comments on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of VHA’s
functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of VHA’s estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32952-32953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15073]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement of the Department of Veterans Affairs Housing Loan Program
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the authority of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and its implementing regulations, VA intends to prepare a
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate the
potential direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental consequences
of continued operation and administration of VA's Housing Loan Program
(HLP). VA's reference to the HLP includes federal assistance,
administered by the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), in the form
of loans made, insured, or guaranteed by VA. It also includes housing
benefits that can be used in conjunction with the HLP (e.g., the
Specially Adapted Housing program). Under the HLP, VBA is also
responsible for the management, marketing, and disposition of real
estate owned (REO) properties that VA acquires following the
foreclosure of certain VA-guaranteed loans and loans held in VA's
portfolio. This notice opens the public scoping phase and invites
interested parties to identify potential issues, concerns, and
reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the PEIS.
Following the scoping meeting referenced below, a Draft PEIS will be
prepared and circulated for public comment.
DATES: All written comments should be submitted by August 15, 2018.
VA invites federal, state, tribal, and local entities; non-profit
organizations; businesses; interested parties; and the general public
to comment on the proposed scope and content of the PEIS. VA will
consider all scoping comments in developing the PEIS. VA will conduct a
public scoping meeting on Thursday, August 2, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00
p.m. at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 5701
Marinelli Road, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The scoping meeting will
afford the public an opportunity to learn more about the project and
provide input on the environmental analysis process. During the
meeting, VA will provide an overview of the project, as well as details
regarding the PEIS scope, purpose, and need. VA will also outline the
overall NEPA process. Additionally, VA will post a scoping presentation
on a publicly available website during the 30-day scoping period. Such
presentation will be available at https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/environmental_impact.asp.
Proposed Actions and Alternatives: VA's Proposed Action is to
continue administering the HLP and incorporating programmatic changes
as necessitated by amendments to program authorities, Veteran need,
market conditions, and factors not foreseen at the time of this
publication.
VA's No Action Alternative refers to a scenario wherein VA operates
the HLP in a manner consistent with policies
[[Page 32953]]
and procedures as of fiscal year 2017 (October 1, 2016 through
September 30, 2017). The No Action Alternative is being presented as a
snapshot in time to provide a baseline from which to compare the
Proposed Action. Nevertheless, the No Action Alternative is likely
unrealistic, as it assumes that HLP policies and requirements are
frozen, and thereby does not account for subsequent programmatic
improvements, legislation, Executive Branch directives, or other
requirements.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through https://www.regulations.gov; by mail or hand delivery to the Director, Office
of Regulation Policy and Management (00REG), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Room 1063B, Washington DC 20420; or by
fax to 202-273-9026. Comments should indicate that they are submitted
in response to ``Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic
Environmental Impact Statement of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Housing Loan Program''. Copies of comments received will be available
for public inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and Management
(00REG), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Room
1063B, Washington, DC 20420, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays). Please call
(202) 461-4902 (this is not a toll-free number) for an appointment.
During the comment period, comments may also be viewed online through
the Federal Docket Management System at www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elysium Drumm, VA Housing Loan
Program, at 202-632-8790 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The most significant element of the HLP is
the provision of housing benefits that assist eligible Veterans in
financing the purchase, construction, repair, or improvement of a home
for their personal occupancy. See 38 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. VBA
administers these and other housing benefits, such as assistance to
Veterans who want to adapt their homes, to assist Veterans in
readjusting to civilian life. The HLP provides what can be, for some
Veterans, their sole opportunity to obtain crucial housing loans and
adaptations.
Through this PEIS, VA is using the NEPA process to evaluate the
potential physical, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic effects
of the HLP; to invite public participation; and to assist with and
inform future agency planning and decision making related to the HLP.
The PEIS will also evaluate the HLP, which assists hundreds of
thousands of Veterans each year across the United States and its
territories, to ensure that VA appropriately considers the human
environmental elements and effects specified in 40 CFR 1508.8 (i.e.,
ecological, aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social, or health,
whether direct, indirect, or cumulative) in carrying out the various
elements and aspects of the program. This PEIS is unique in that it
addresses an existing program, and VA has no specific or immediate need
to change its operational structure or procedures to address
environmental impacts. Furthermore, the making of loan guaranties,
direct loans, and grants do not typically, in and of themselves, result
in direct environmental impacts. Environmental impacts, if they occur,
would be the result of private citizen actions (e.g., construction of a
house funded by VA-guaranteed loan financing) related to a specific
property. In this case, the primary environmental impacts of concern
for VA would be the potential indirect impacts from homeowner actions
and the potentially significant cumulative impacts of small incremental
actions on local and regional resources.
As part of the scoping process, VA encourages federal, state,
tribal, and local entities; non-profit organizations; businesses;
interested parties; and the general public to provide input on any
areas of environmental concern relevant to the HLP, and suggestions
regarding potential environmental impacts that should be evaluated. VA
will consult with such parties during VA's preparation of the PEIS.
Signing Authority
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Jacquelyn
Hayes-Byrd, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs,
approved this document on July 10, 2018, for publication.
Dated: July 10, 2018.
Jeffrey M. Martin,
Impact Analyst, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, Office of the
Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-15073 Filed 7-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
