[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76352-76353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7795]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[FHWA Docket No. FHWA-2005-23112]


Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway 
Administration

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to form an advisory committee.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the 
Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the 
Federal Highway Administration, is establishing a Council to coordinate 
with and advise the Administrator on infrastructure issues of concern 
to motorcyclists. The purpose of this notice is to invite interested 
parties to submit comments on the issues that should be discussed by 
the Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway 
Administration, and the organizations and participants to be considered 
for representation on the council.

DATES: Comments and/or applications for membership or nominations for 
membership on the Council must be received on or before January 23, 
2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Baxter, Director, Office of 
Safety Design, 202-366-9198 ([email protected]); or Ms. Alla 
Shaw, Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-1042; 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 
p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    You may submit or retrieve comments online through the Document 
Management System (DMS) at: http://dms.dot.gov/submit. The DMS is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. Electronic submission 
and retrieval help and guidelines are available under the help section 
of the Web site.
    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the 
Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the 
Government Printing Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

[[Page 76353]]

    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in a Federal Register published on April 
11, 2000 (70 FR 19477), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
    Please note that even after the comment closing date, we will 
continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it becomes 
available. Further, some people may submit late comments and we 
recommend that you periodically check the Docket for new material.

Background

    On August 10, 2005, the President signed into law the Safe, 
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 
for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 1144). Section 1914 
of SAFETEA-LU mandates the establishment of a Motorcyclist Advisory 
Council.

    The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Federal 
Highway Administration, in consultation with the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, 
shall appoint a Motorcyclist Advisory Council to coordinate with and 
advise the Administrator on infrastructure issues of concern to 
motorcyclists.

A. Notice of Intent To Establish an Advisory Committee and Request for 
Comment

    In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II), an agency of the Federal government 
cannot establish or utilize a group of people in the interest of 
obtaining consensus advice or recommendations unless that group is 
chartered as a Federal advisory committee. The purpose of this notice 
is to indicate the FHWA's intent to create a Federal advisory 
committee, to identify highway infrastructure issues of concern to 
motorcyclists and to identify potential organizations and participants 
who will adequately represent interests regarding these infrastructure 
issues.

B. Name of Committee

    Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway 
Administration.

C. Purpose and Objective

    Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway Administration 
(MAC-FHWA), coordinates and advises the Secretary of the Department of 
Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Highway 
Administration, on infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists, 
including:
    (1) Barrier design;
    (2) Road design, construction, and maintenance practices; and
    (3) The architecture and implementation of intelligent 
transportation system technologies.
    The MAC-FHWA does not exercise program management or regulatory 
development responsibilities, and makes no decisions directly affecting 
the programs on which it provides advice. The MAC-FHWA provides a forum 
for the development, consideration, and communication of information 
from a knowledgeable and independent perspective.

D. Balanced Membership Plans

    According to section 1914 of SAFETEA-LU, the Council shall consist 
of not more than 10 members of the motorcycling community with 
professional expertise in national motorcyclist safety advocacy, 
including:
    (1) At least:
    (A) One member recommended by a national motorcyclist association;
    (B) One member recommended by a national motorcycle riders 
foundation;
    (C) One representative of the National Association of State 
Motorcycle Safety Administrators;
    (D) Two members of State motorcyclists' organizations;
    (E) One member recommended by a national organization that 
represents the builders of highway infrastructure;
    (F) One member recommended by a national association that 
represents the traffic safety systems industry; and
    (G) One member of a national safety organization; and
    (2) At least one, and not more than two, motorcyclists who are 
traffic system design engineers or State transportation department 
officials.
    This document gives notice of this process to potential 
participants and affords them the opportunity to request representation 
on the MAC-FHWA. The procedure for requesting such representation is 
set out below. In addition, we invite comments and suggestions for 
potential participants.
    The FHWA is aware that there are many more potential organizations 
and participants than there are membership slots on the council. 
Organizations and participants should be prepared to support their 
participation on the council.
    It is very important to recognize that interested parties who are 
not selected to membership on the Council can make valuable 
contributions to the work of the MAC-FHWA in any of several ways. For 
example, the person or organization could request to be placed on the 
council mailing list, submitting written comments, as appropriate.
    Any member of the public is welcome to attend the Council meetings, 
and, as provided in FACA, speak to the council. Time will be set aside 
during each meeting for this purpose, consistent with the council's 
need for sufficient time to complete its deliberations.

E. Applications for Membership

    Each application for membership or nomination to the Council should 
include:
    (1) The name of the applicant or nominee and the interest(s) 
identified in section 1914 of SAFETEA-LU such person would represent;
    (2) Evidence that the applicant or nominee is authorized to 
represent parties related to the interest(s) the person proposes to 
represent; and
    (3) A written commitment that the applicant or nominee would 
participate in good faith.
    Every effort is made to select Council members who are objective. A 
balance is needed and weight is given to a variety of factors including 
but not limited to geographical distribution, gender, minority status, 
organization, and expertise.

F. Duration

    Continuing.

G. Notice of Establishment

    After evaluating comments received as a result of this Notice, the 
Department will issue a notice announcing the establishment and 
composition of the Council.

(Authority: Section 1914 of Pub. L. 109-59)


    Issued on: December 16, 2005.
J. Richard Capka,
Acting Federal Highway Administrator.
[FR Doc. E5-7795 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45 am]
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