Federal Highway Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the availability of revised Form FHWA- 1273 ``Required Contract Provisions Federal-Aid Construction Contracts'' (FHWA-1273). This form includes certain contract provisions that are required on all Federal-aid construction contracts. This form also includes proposal notices that Federal-aid recipients must incorporate or reference in all solicitation-for-bids or request-for- proposals documents for Federal-aid construction projects. The changes to the form are those necessary to conform to the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) August 23, 2023, final rule amending the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) and the Davis-Bacon Related Acts (DBRA) implementing regulations and are aligned with the effective date of those regulations.

The FHWA and the State of Arizona, acting by and through its Department of Transportation (State), propose a second renewal of the State's participation in the State Assumption of Responsibility for Categorical Exclusions program. This program allows FHWA to assign to States its authority and responsibility for determining whether certain designated activities within the geographic boundaries of the State, as specified in the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act. This MOU would renew and continue the State's participation in the program. The renewed MOU will amend the existing MOU by incorporating the following changes: Including language to reference the State's responsibility to report project impacts to environmental justice populations; clarifying that this assignment applies to any action to which a CE is applicable including non-highway projects; and adding a reference to the Final April 2020 Programmatic Agreement Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act Regarding Implementation of Federal-Aid Transportation Projects in the State of Arizona (September 2020).

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for an 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.

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for these projects are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. The actions relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of Texas. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

The FHWA is withdrawing the notice, ``Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection,'' published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2023.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for an 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.

FHWA proposes and requests comments on regulations governing changes in access to the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Interstate System). As a condition of funding for Federal-aid highway projects, Federal law prohibits State departments of transportation (State DOT) from adding any point of access to or from the Interstate System without the approval of the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary). This proposed rule would codify and clarify existing policies and practices regarding State DOT requests for and FHWA approval of changes in access to the Interstate System.

The FHWA is withdrawing the notice, ``Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection,'' published in the Federal Register on February 8, 2023.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for an 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.

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, and compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Federal highway projects. When a State assumes these Federal responsibilities, the State becomes solely responsible and liable for carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed in lieu of FHWA. The program mandates annual audits during each of the first 4 years of State participation to ensure compliance with program requirements. This notice finalizes the findings of the fourth and final audit report for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT).

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's environmental responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, and compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Federal highway projects. When a State assumes these Federal responsibilities, the State becomes solely responsible and liable for carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed, in lieu of FHWA. This program mandates annual audits during each of the first 4 years of State participation to ensure compliance with program requirements. This notice makes available the final fourth audit report for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF).

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the I-35 Capital Express Central project, from US 290E to US290W/SH 71 in Travis County, Texas.

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the US 380 project, from Teel Parkway/Championship Drive to Lakewood Drive in Collin and Denton Counties, Texas.

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for these projects are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. The actions relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of Texas. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the South Fresno State Route 99 Corridor Project on State Route 99, from post mile 12.5 to 19.1 in the County of Fresno, in the State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The DOT 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.

FHWA, in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comment and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that an environmental impact statement will be prepared to study potential improvements to 67 miles of Interstates 39, 90, and 94 (I-39/90/94) in Dane, Columbia, Sauk, and Juneau counties, Wisconsin. The study corridor begins at United States Highway (US) 12/18 in Madison and terminates at US 12/Wisconsin State Highway (WIS) 16 in Wisconsin Dells. The study will also evaluate I-39 from its split with I-90/94 (the I-39 I-90/94 split) to Levee Road near Portage. Persons or agencies who may be affected by the study are encouraged to comment on the information in this NOI and the NOI Additional Information document. All comments received in response to this NOI document will be considered, and any information presented herein, including the preliminary purpose and need, preliminary alternatives, and potential impacts, may be revised in consideration of comments.

This notice announces action taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final. The actions relate to the Central Business District Tolling Program in New York, New York.

On December 29, 2022, the United States Census Bureau published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the qualifying urban areas from the 2020 Census. The FTA and FHWA are announcing that all urbanized areas (UZA) with populations greater than 200,000, as determined by the 2020 Census, are hereby identified as Transportation Management Areas (TMA). The FTA and FHWA are taking this action in compliance with the agencies' authorizing statutes. This action supersedes the agencies' previous designations of TMAs made in the Federal Register.

FHWA in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is issuing the Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comments and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to study potential improvements to the US 6219, Section 050 Transportation Improvement Project from Meyersdale, PA to Old Salisbury Road, MD. The project includes the proposed construction of an 8.0 mile (6 miles in Pennsylvania and 2 miles in Maryland) four-lane limited access facility on new alignment from the end of the Meyersdale Bypass in Somerset County, Pennsylvania to the newly constructed portion of US 219 in Garrett County, Maryland. This NOI contains a summary of the information required in the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. This NOI should be reviewed together with the Supplementary NOI Document, which contains important details about the proposed project and complements the information in this NOI. Persons and agencies who may be interested in or affected by the proposed project are encouraged to comment on the information in this NOI and the Supplementary NOI Document. All comments received in response to this NOI will be considered and any information presented herein, including the preliminary purpose and need, preliminary alternatives and identified impacts, may be revised in consideration of the comments.

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.

The DOT 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.

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.

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.

The FHWA is extending the comment period for a request for comments on its existing general applicability waiver for manufactured products under FHWA's Buy America waiver authorities, which was published on March 17, 2023, in the Federal Register. The comment period is currently set to close on April 17, 2023. The extension is based on concern expressed by a number of stakeholders that the original comment period was inadequate to meaningfully review the request for comments, analyze the impact of any possible changes to the existing general applicability waiver for manufactured products, gather information, and provide comprehensive comments. The FHWA recognizes that others interested in commenting may have similar concerns and agrees that the comment period should be extended. Therefore, the comment period is reopened and the closing date for comments is May 22, 2023, which will provide stakeholders and others interested in commenting additional time to submit responses to the docket.