AGENCY:
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION:
Notice of information collection; request for comment.
SUMMARY:
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
DATES:
Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before October 22, 2021.
ADDRESSES:
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-2021-0006. All comments received will be posted without change to the docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: hodan.wells@dot.gov or telephone: (202) 493-0440, or Mr. John Purnell, Information Collection Clearance Officer at email: john.purnell@dot.gov or telephone: (202) 493-0500.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR regarding: (1) Whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the activities 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 for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) Reduce reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in a “user-friendly” format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB clearance as the PRA requires:
Title: Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorders.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0004.
Abstract: FRA's locomotive safety standards (49 CFR part 229) require railroads to inspect, repair, and maintain locomotives, including their event recorders, to ensure they are safe and free of defects.
The data gathered from locomotive event recorders is used by the railroad industry and by railroad employees (locomotive engineers, train crews, dispatchers) to improve train handling and promote the safe and efficient operation of trains throughout the country. Locomotive event recorders also provide FRA and State railroad safety inspectors with verified data elements for use in their oversight responsibilities that show how trains are operated from lead locomotives.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): FRA F 6180.49A.
Respondent Universe: 754 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:
The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 3,815,751 hours while the total burden of this notice is 232,348 hours. As part of its review of this ICR renewal, FRA determined many of the previous estimates were preliminary, outdated, or duplicative. Moreover, FRA removed locomotive safety requirements outside the scope of the PRA, thus decreasing the total estimates accordingly in this notice.
The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface Transportation Board's 2020 Full Year Wage A&B data series using the appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-percent overhead charge.
FRA is proposing to create a new form for use by passenger railroads, Form F 6180-49AP (Passenger Locomotive Inspection and Repair Record), under OMB Control Number 2130-0035. Once the new form is approved, FRA will move this under the proposed 49 CFR 229.22 of OMB 2130-0035.
Totals may not add due to rounding.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 8,829,303.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 232,348 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $17,585,665.
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 a respondent is not required to respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control number.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2021-17982 Filed 8-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P