Notice2023-11806
Department of Transportation Equity Action Plan Update
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 5, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
The Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) invites public comment regarding how our work to advance equity has impacted organizations and communities, as well as input on performance metrics, data sets, tools, and research to measure and advance transportation equity. The responses to this RFI will help the Department understand the impact of our equity activities to date and inform what equity-related activities and performance metrics we prioritize through the 2023 update to DOT's Equity Action Plan.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36642-36645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11806]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. DOT-OST-2023-0087]
Department of Transportation Equity Action Plan Update
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) invites
public comment regarding how our work to advance equity has impacted
organizations and communities, as well as input on performance metrics,
data sets, tools, and research to measure and advance transportation
equity. The responses to this RFI will help the Department understand
the impact of our equity activities to date and inform
[[Page 36643]]
what equity-related activities and performance metrics we prioritize
through the 2023 update to DOT's Equity Action Plan.
DATES: Comments are requested by June 30, 2023. See the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section on ``Public Participation,'' below, for more
information about written comments.
Written Comments: Responses to this RFI are voluntary and may be
submitted anonymously. Comments should refer to the docket number above
and be submitted by one of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal Rulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public
Participation heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this
document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change
to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information
provided.
Privacy Act: Except as provided below (``confidential business
information''), all comments received into the docket will be made
public in their entirety. The comments will be searchable 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 should not include information in your comment that you do not want
to be made public. You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or
at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> or to the street
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the
dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6a397938f929fa6828992c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="95d0e4e0fce1ecd5f1fae1bbf2fae3">[email protected]</span></a> or contact
Ariel Gold at 202-695-6833 with questions. Office hours are from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through this Request for Information (RFI),
the Department solicits input from the public regarding: how our work
to advance equity has impacted organizations and communities; related
partnerships and external activities; performance measures to measure
and advance transportation equity; and data sets, research, and tools
to help advance transportation equity. Specifically, the Department
seeks responses to the questions outlined in the ``Questions to the
Public'' section below.
The DOT Strategic Plan (available at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan">https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan</a>) is a roadmap for the
Department's implementation of six strategic goals, one of which is
Equity. The Equity strategic goal states that the Department will
``reduce inequities across our transportation systems and the
communities they affect'' and ``support and engage people and
communities to promote safe, affordable, accessible, and multimodal
access to opportunities and services while reducing transportation-
related disparities, adverse community impacts, and health effects.''
In response to Executive Order (E.O.) 13985, Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government (<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government</a>), the Department developed the DOT
Equity Action Plan (<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/equity-action-plan">https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/equity-action-plan</a>). It highlights key actions that the Department will
undertake to expand access and opportunity to all communities while
focusing on underserved, overburdened, and disadvantaged communities.
The actions fall under four focus areas--Wealth Creation; Power of
Community; Proactive Intervention, Planning, and Capacity Building; and
Expanding Access. The DOT Equity Action Plan brings focus and
accountability to the Department's Equity strategic goal.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL; enacted November 15, 2021)
and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA; enacted August 16, 2022) make
historic investments in the transportation sector, improving public
safety and climate resilience, creating jobs across the country, and
delivering a more equitable future. The Department is committed to
reducing barriers to opportunity through the implementation of BIL and
IRA, including through actions described in our Equity Action Plan.
E.O. 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal</a>), directs all federal agencies to update their
Equity Action Plans by September 2023, and on an annual basis
thereafter. Specifically, the update should include: the progress made
by the agency on the actions, performance measures, and milestones
highlighted in the preceding year's Equity Action Plan; potential
barriers that underserved communities may face; strategies to address
those barriers, and a description of how the agency intends to
meaningfully engage with underserved communities.
Government-wide definitions of (a) equity, (b) underserved
communities, and (c) disadvantaged communities have been established
via Executive Order(s). DOT has adopted these government-wide
definitions for the purpose of this RFI and our Equity Action Plan:
(a) The term ``equity'' means the consistent and systematic
treatment of all individuals in a fair, just, and impartial manner,
including individuals who belong to communities that often have been
denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native
American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander persons
and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; women and
girls; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons;
persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; persons who
live in United States Territories; persons otherwise adversely affected
by persistent poverty or inequality; and individuals who belong to
multiple such communities. [Source: E.O. 14091]
(b) The term ``underserved communities'' refers to those
populations [included in the definition of ``equity''] as well as
geographic communities that have been systematically denied the
opportunity to participate fully in aspects of economic, social, and
civic life, as defined in E.O. 13985. [Source: E.O. 14091]
(c) The term ``disadvantaged community'' refers to a community that
experiences disproportionately high and adverse health, environmental,
climate related, economic, and other cumulative impacts. [Source: E.O.
14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, https://
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/
[[Page 36644]]
tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad]
In addition, DOT has adopted the following definitions of (d)
overburdened community and (2) for the purpose of this RFI and our
Equity Action Plan:
(d) The term ``overburdened community'' refers to minority, low-
income, tribal, or Indigenous populations or geographic locations in
the United States that potentially experience disproportionate
environmental and/or safety harms and risks. This disproportionality
can be a result of greater vulnerability to environmental hazards,
heightened safety risks, lack of opportunity for public participation,
or other factors. [Source: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ej-2020-glossary">https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/ej-2020-glossary</a>]
(e) The term ``meaningful public involvement'' refers to a process
that proactively seeks full representation from the community,
considers public comments and feedback, and incorporates that feedback
into a project, program, or plan. [Source: <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/public-involvement">https://www.transportation.gov/public-involvement</a>]
The responses to this RFI will help the Department understand the
impact of our equity activities to date and inform what efforts we
prioritize as we update DOT's Equity Action Plan. Through this request,
the Department seeks information from stakeholders in public agencies,
academic researchers involved in the study of equity in transportation
decision-making, advocacy, community-based organizations, and not-for-
profit institutions and individuals working in the transportation
sector or the field of equity, and State, local, Tribal, and
territorial areas, and the public.
The Department plans to host two public engagements, on June 20 and
June 23, 2023, to discuss the topics covered in this RFI. Participation
in these events is not required in order to respond to this RFI. Please
visit our website for more information and to register for these
events: <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/events">https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/events</a>.
Equity Performance Metrics, Data Sets, Tools, and Research
1. Consider the equity-related performance measures in the
Department's Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Performance Plan and FY 2022
Performance Report, as summarized at <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/equity-strategic-goal">https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/equity-strategic-goal</a>.
(a) Which of DOT's equity-related performance measures do you think
are most relevant to accomplishing the goals that are most important to
you, and why? This could help inform which performance measures we
focus on achieving through the Equity Action Plan.
(b) DOT's performance measures are national-level measures. Which
of DOT's equity-related performance measures can be helpful to
influence and advance equity at a local level? Please provide examples,
where available.
2. Through previous requests for information and other engagements,
the Department has identified data sets, research, and tools to help
assess and address systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for
underserved communities through our programs and policies. For example,
this includes the May 2021 Request for Information on Transportation
Data and Assessment Methods (available at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2021-0056-0001">https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2021-0056-0001</a>) and the February 2023 Request for
Information on US DOT Equitable Transportation Community Explorer
(ETCE) Tool and Index Methodology that supports the Administration's
Justice 40 initiative (available at <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/21/2023-03396/request-for-information-on-us-dot-equitable-transportation-community-explorer-etce-tool-and-index">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/21/2023-03396/request-for-information-on-us-dot-equitable-transportation-community-explorer-etce-tool-and-index</a>).
(a) What recent data sets, research, or tools that have been
published should U.S. DOT consider to inform updates to the next phase
of our equity work, including assessing and addressing transportation-
related disparities? Information submitted via the RFIs listed above
does not need to be resubmitted through this RFI.
(b) What are some areas where you need more robust data sets, data
standards, guides, or other tools to help you influence and advance
equity at a more local level (e.g., State, Territory, Tribal nation,
Region, County, City, Community)?
Examples of Impacts and Partnerships
3. Please provide examples of how you or the organization that you
represent have taken action or partnered with other entities, either
governmental or non-governmental, to influence and advance
transportation equity. Where possible, please briefly explain how your
example reflects the Department's focus areas (i.e., Expanding Access;
Wealth Creation; Power of Community; Proactive Intervention, Planning,
and Capacity Building).
4. Please provide examples where you see the Department's work to
advance equity has impacted your organization or community, including
the extent to which you have seen equity incorporated into DOT's
implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation
Reduction Act. Where possible, please briefly explain how your example
reflects the Department's focus areas (i.e., Expanding Access; Wealth
Creation; Power of Community; Proactive Intervention, Planning, and
Capacity Building).
The Department plans to host two public engagements, on June 20 and
June 23, 2023, to discuss the topics covered in this RFI. Participation
in these events is not required in order to respond to this RFI. Please
visit our website for more information and to register for these
events: <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/events">https://www.transportation.gov/priorities/equity/events</a>.
Public Participation
How do I prepare and submit comments?
To ensure that your comments are filed correctly, please include
the docket number of this document (DOT-OST-2023-0087) in your
comments.
Please submit one copy (two copies if submitting by mail or hand
delivery) of your comments, including any attachments, to the docket
following the instructions given above under ADDRESSES. Please note, if
you are submitting comments electronically as a PDF (Adobe) file, we
ask that the documents submitted be scanned using an Optical Character
Recognition (OCR) process, thus allowing the Agency to search and copy
certain portions of your submissions.
How do I submit confidential business information?
Any submissions containing Confidential Information must be
delivered to DOT in the following manner:
<bullet> Submitted in a sealed envelope marked ``confidential
treatment requested'';
<bullet> Document(s) or information that the submitter would like
withheld from the public docket should be marked ``PROPIN'';
<bullet> Accompanied by an index listing the document(s) or
information that the submitter would like the Departments to withhold.
The index should include information such as numbers used to identify
the relevant document(s) or information, document title and
description, and relevant page numbers and/or section numbers within a
document; and
<bullet> Submitted with a statement explaining the submitter's
grounds for
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objecting to disclosing the information to the public.
DOT will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the
FOIA and not include them in the public docket. DOT also requests that
submitters of Confidential Information include a non-confidential
version (either redacted or summarized) of those confidential
submissions in the public docket. If the submitter cannot provide a
non-confidential version of its submission, DOT requests that the
submitter post a notice in the docket stating that it has provided DOT
with Confidential Information. Should a submitter fail to docket either
a non-confidential version of its submission or to post a notice that
Confidential Information has been provided, we will note the receipt of
the submission on the docket, with the submitter's organization or name
(to the degree permitted by law) and the date of submission.
Will the Agency consider late comments?
DOT will consider all comments received before the close of
business on the comment closing date indicated above under DATES. To
the extent practicable, the Agency will also consider comments received
after that date.
How can I read the comments submitted by other people?
You may read the comments received at the address given above under
WRITTEN COMMENTS. The hours of the docket are indicated above in the
same location. You may also see the comments on the internet,
identified by the docket number at the heading of this notice, at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Please note, this RFI is a planning document and will serve as
such. The RFI should not be construed as policy, a solicitation for
applications, or an obligation on the part of the government.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 30, 2023.
Christopher Coes,
Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, Department of
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-11806 Filed 6-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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