Overview
Title
Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Federal Highway Administration wants to hear people's thoughts about a new way to help those who must move because of government projects. They plan to talk to people to see if they can get help, and they think each chat will take about an hour.
Summary AI
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking public comments on a new information collection related to relocation assistance. This collection aims to gather information through personal interviews to determine eligibility for assistance from people displaced by federal projects. The FHWA estimates that it will take about an hour for each interview and anticipates a total of 4,600 hours of annual response time. Comments are requested on the necessity and accuracy of the collection, as well as ways to improve and minimize the burden of the process.
Abstract
The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a new information collection. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document under review is a notice from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published in the Federal Register. The notice informs the public about a new information collection effort concerning relocation assistance for individuals and entities displaced by federal or federally assisted projects. This effort requires collecting data through personal interviews to determine the eligibility for such assistance. The FHWA estimates that these interviews will take approximately one hour each, contributing to an estimated total of 4,600 hours annually.
General Overview
The FHWA is seeking public comments on the necessity, accuracy, and potential improvements of this information collection. The agency emphasizes the importance of this feedback in refining the collection process, which is conducted under the stipulations of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This process, supervised by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), aims to ensure that information collection does not become an unnecessary burden for the public.
Significant Issues and Concerns
One major concern is that a previous Federal Register notice calling for a 60-day comment period did not receive any feedback, highlighting potential issues with stakeholder engagement. The absence of comments might imply a lack of awareness or interest from the public or affected parties.
The document does not explicitly justify why this particular information collection is necessary, making it challenging for stakeholders to weigh its value against the burden it might impose. Furthermore, the notice of public comments lacks clarity on how stakeholder input could potentially alter or improve the proposal, leaving room for doubt about the actual influence of public participation.
The language used, specifically the reference to "U.S. citizens and persons legally present in the United States," may be ambiguous without further explanation on what constitutes legal presence, potentially leading to confusion among those affected.
The estimated average burden of one hour per personal interview seems overly simplified, considering that individual circumstances may vary significantly, which could impact the actual time required to complete these interviews.
Impact on the Public and Stakeholders
For the general public, this notice represents an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process, provided they are aware of the notice and understand how to engage with it effectively. A potential positive impact includes improved relocation assistance services if the collection results in more precise and tailored offerings based on the collected data.
For specific stakeholders, such as state departments of transportation and local government agencies, this notice could mean additional administrative duties, yet it also might enhance their capacity to effectively administer relocation assistance. For individuals affected by federal projects, the structured approach to determining eligibility for benefits might streamline the assistance process, albeit at the cost of needing to participate in potentially time-consuming interviews.
In conclusion, while the notice calls for a necessary step in ensuring the fair administration of relocation assistance, the concerns about its clarity and stakeholder engagement highlight areas for improvement. By addressing these issues, the FHWA can ensure that the information collection process is transparent, effective, and minimally burdensome.
Issues
• The document references a previously published Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period without indicating any feedback was received, which might suggest a lack of stakeholder engagement or awareness.
• The document does not clarify why the collection of this information is necessary, leaving stakeholders unable to assess the real value of the collection against the burden it imposes.
• The description of the public comments invited does not provide any specific information on whether input from stakeholders can influence or change any aspects of the proposal.
• The language used in parts of the document, such as 'U.S. citizens and persons legally present in the United States,' may be viewed as ambiguous without additional context defining legal statuses considered under these criteria.
• The estimated average burden of 1 hour per personal interview could be overly generalized and does not consider variability in responses that could increase or decrease this time.
• There is a lack of detail on how the collected information will be used to influence or determine the programs' offerings, potentially reducing transparency in decision-making processes.