[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68540-68541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26995]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2019-0004-N-21]
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, this notice announces that FRA is forwarding
the Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs
describe the information collections and their expected burden. On
October 2, 2019, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for
public comment on the ICRs.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
January 15, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICRs to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk Officer.
Comments may also be sent via email to OMB at the following address:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Hodan Wells, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Federal
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-0440) or Ms. Kim Toone, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Information Technology, Federal
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6132).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to
issue two notices seeking public comment on information collection
activities before OMB may approve paperwork packages. See 44 U.S.C.
3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. On October 2, 2019, FRA
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting public
comment on the ICRs for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 84 FR
52588. FRA received one comment from the Brotherhood of Railroad
Signalmen (BRS), the collective bargaining representative for
approximately 10,000 signal employees. BRS supports the information
collection activities of both ICRs, considering them necessary to FRA's
regulatory duties and public safety responsibilities. BRS urges FRA to
continue to collect this information, noting that the information
provided from these activities can help guide FRA in solving issues
related to warning system failures at crossings and highway-rail grade
crossing accidents.
Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of
information, it must provide 30-days' notice for public comment.
Federal law requires OMB to approve or disapprove paperwork packages
between 30 and 60 days after the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C.
3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.10(b) and 1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978,
44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes the 30-day notice informs the
regulated community to file relevant comments and affords the agency
adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a decision.
60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should submit their
respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication to best ensure
having their full effect.
Comments are invited on the following ICRs regarding: (1) Whether
the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly
execute its functions, including whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden of
the information collection activities, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (3) ways
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
being collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of information
collection activities on the public, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
The summaries below describe the ICRs that FRA will submit for OMB
clearance as the PRA requires:
Title: Grade Crossing Signal System Safety Regulations.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0534.
Abstract: FRA believes that highway-rail grade crossing (grade
crossing) accidents resulting from warning system failures can be
reduced. Accordingly, FRA's regulations require railroads to take
specific responses in the event of an activation failure. An activation
failure is defined as when a grade crossing warning system fails to
indicate the approach of a train at least 20 seconds prior to the
train's arrival at the crossing or to indicate the presence of a train
occupying the crossing. Specifically, railroads must report to FRA
every impact between on-track railroad equipment and an automobile,
bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, farm vehicle, or pedestrian at a
highway-rail grade crossing involving a crossing warning system
activation failure. Notification must be provided to the National
Response Center within 24 hours of occurrence at the stipulated toll-
free telephone number. Additionally, railroads must report to FRA
within 15 days of each activation failure of a highway-rail grade
warning system. Form FRA F 6180.83, ``Highway-Rail Grade Crossing
Warning
[[Page 68541]]
System Activation Failure Report,'' \1\ must be used for this purpose
and completed using the instructions printed on the form. With this
information, FRA can identify the causes of activation failures and
investigate them to determine whether periodic maintenance, inspection,
and testing standards are effective.
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\1\ FRA makes a technical correction to the title of Form FRA F
6180.83 in this notice.
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Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses (railroads).
Form(s): FRA F 6180.83.
Respondent Universe: 746 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion/monthly.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 60,252.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 5,042 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$342,863.
Title: Alleged Violation Reporting Form.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0590.
Abstract: The Alleged Violation Reporting Form is a response to
section 307(b) of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which
requires FRA to ``provide a mechanism for the public to submit written
reports of potential violations of Federal railroad safety and
hazardous materials transportation laws, regulations, and orders to the
Federal Railroad Administration.'' The Alleged Violation Reporting Form
allows the general public to submit alleged violations directly to FRA.
The form allows FRA to collect information necessary to investigate the
alleged violation and to follow up with the submitting party. FRA may
share the information collected with partnering State departments of
transportation and law enforcement agencies.
Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: General public.
Form(s): FRA F 6180.151.
Respondent Universe: \2\ 570 individuals.
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\2\ After an internal agency review, FRA updated the respondent
universe estimate.
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Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 570.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 48 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $1,296.
Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi),
FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or sponsor,
and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2019-26995 Filed 12-13-19; 8:45 am]
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