[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18390-18391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8983]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
49 CFR Chapter II
[RSI-95-1]
Regulatory Review
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of meetings; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Railroad Administration invites all individuals
affected by the rail safety regulatory program to discuss the agency's
regulations and enforcement policies during two open forums to be
convened in April. In addition, FRA invites written comment on ways to
improve the safety regulatory program to make it more flexible,
performance-oriented and cost-effective.
DATES: Public meetings will be held in Chicago, IL on April 20, 1995
and in Newark, N.J. on April 25, 1995. Written comments must be
submitted to the FRA by May 5, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Public meetings: The Chicago, IL meeting will be held in the
Tower's West room of the Knickerbocker Hotel, 163 E. Walton Place, from
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Newark, NJ meeting will be held in the
Crystal Room of the Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Place, (about 5 minutes
from Pennsylvania Station) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Written Comments: Written comments should identify the docket
number and the notice number and must be submitted in triplicate to the
Docket Clerk, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Railroad Administration,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 8201,
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001. Persons desiring to be notified that their
written comments have been received by FRA should submit a self-
addressed, stamped postcard with their comments. The Docket Clerk will
indicate on the postcard the date on which the comments were received
and will return the card to the addressee. Written comments will be
available for examination, both before and after the closing date for
comments, during regular business hours in Room 8201 of the Nassif
Building at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ed English, Office of Safety
Enforcement, Federal Railroad Administration, 400 7th Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20590, 202-366-9252, or Lisa Levine, Office of Chief
Counsel, Federal [[Page 18391]] Railroad Administration, 400 7th
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, 202-366-4781.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Building on the regulatory philosophy set
forth in Executive Order No. 12866, President Clinton recently asked
Executive Branch agencies to report to him by June 1, 1995 on ways to
improve the regulatory process. Specifically, the President requested
that agencies: [1] Cut obsolete regulations; [2] reward agency and
regulator performance by rewarding results instead of red tape; [3]
create grassroots partnerships by meeting, outside of Washington, D.C.,
with those affected by regulations; and [4] use consensual rulemaking,
such as regulatory negotiation, more frequently. This notice solicits
comments and announces public outreach responsive to the President's
directives.
FRA is committed to a railroad regulatory program that achieves
safety goals while being cost-effective, user- friendly and customer-
focused. Consistent with the President's Initiative, our 1995 Safety
Action Plan aspires to cut red-tape, improve communications, foster
cooperation and emphasize performance-oriented decision making with:
Annual safety plans from each major railroad developed
consensually with management, labor and FRA;
Uniform and consistent safety assurance methods;
Continued efforts to improve the effectiveness of our
communications and customer response; and
Streamlining of our regulatory process with a focus on
data-based decision making.
Through roundtables, innovative rulemaking procedures (including
negotiated rulemaking), and direct contacts with industry groups, FRA
seeks to ensure open lines of communication and active collaboration of
all affected persons in the development of its safety programs.
In response to the President's initiative, FRA invites
participation from the regulated community in the creation of
grassroots partnerships. The meetings in Chicago and Newark will be
informal, intended to produce a dialogue between agency regulators and
those persons directly affected by the rail safety program and
regulations. These public forums are intended to elicit information and
views at a grassroots level--from working railroad employees,
supervisors and managers in those major railroad terminal areas.
Because FRA believes the President's call for regulatory review
provides rich opportunities for eliminating or improving regulations,
FRA is seeking comments, either at the public meetings or in writing,
discussing methods of improving the regulations to make the rail safety
program more performance-oriented, flexible and cost-effective. Any
comments should contain a current priority order for those areas in
need of improvement. By focusing on matters of greatest concern to
those who carry regulatory burdens, FRA can best balance its
responsibilities for regulatory reinvention and completion of
statutorily mandated rulemaking proceedings.
Donald M. Itzkoff,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 95-8983 Filed 4-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P