[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 92 (Thursday, May 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25952-25953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12049]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--FRA F 6180.71, U.S. DOT AAR Crossing Inventory Form

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its 
implementing regulations, this notice invites the general public, 
railroads, and other public agencies to comment on the proposed 
information collection of FRA F 6180.71, U.S. DOT-AAR Crossing 
Inventory Form.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than July 12, 1999.


[[Page 25953]]


ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the information 
collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its 
functions, including whether the activities will have practical 
utility; (b) 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; (c) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (d) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of 
information collection activities on the public by automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses). Comments may be sent to: Mr. Robert Brogan, 
Office of Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW, Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 
20590, or Ms. Dian Deal, Office of Information Technology and 
Productivity Improvement, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 
Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to 
acknowledge receipt of their respective comments must include a self-
addressed stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 
2130-0017. Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to 
(202) 493-6265 or (202) 493-6170, or E-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Ms. Deal at [email protected]. 
Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence 
submitted. All responses to this notice will be included in the request 
for OMB's approval. All comments will also become a matter of public 
record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection form and instruction should be 
directed to Mr. Robert Brogan, (202) 493-6292 or Dian Deal, (202) 493-
6292. (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Pub. L. No. 104-13, Sec. 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 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 
for comment on information collection activities before seeking 
approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 
5 CFR Secs. 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a).
    Below is a brief summary of the currently approved information 
collection activity that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: U.S. DOT--AAR Crossing Inventory Form.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0017.
    Form Number: FRA F 6180.71.
    Expiration: March 31, 2000.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Form FRA 6180.71 is a voluntary form and is being revised 
to include additional data elements at the request of states and 
railroads. The form is also being revised to fulfill National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations and to take 
advantage of recent advances in information technology. The form is 
used by States and railroads to periodically update certain cite 
specific highway-rail crossing information which is then transmitted to 
FRA for input into the National Inventory File. This information has 
been collected on the U.S. DOT-AAR Crossing Inventory Form since 1974 
and maintained in the National Inventory File database since 1975. The 
primary purpose of the National Inventory is to provide for the 
existence of a uniform database which can be merged with accident data 
and used to analyze information for planning and implementation of 
crossing safety improvement programs by public, private, and 
governmental agencies responsible for highway-rail crossing safety. 
Following the official establishment of the National Inventory in 1975, 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) assumed the principal 
responsibility as custodian for the maintenance and continued 
development of the U.S. DOT/AAR National Highway-Rail Crossing 
Inventory Program. The major goal of the Program is to provide federal, 
state, and local governments, as well as the railroad industry, 
information for the improvement of safety at highway-rail crossings. 
Good management practices necessitate maintaining the database with 
current information. The data will continue to be useful only if 
maintained and updated as inventory changes occur. FRA previously 
cleared the reporting and recordkeeping burden for this form under 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance number 2130-0017. OMB 
approved the burden in the original form through March 31, 2000. Based 
on the most recent information available, FRA estimates 62,000 updates 
per year. This is a substantial reduction in updates from the previous 
estimate of responses and represents a corresponding reduction of 1,473 
hours in the reporting and recordkeeping burden. The reduction in 
responses is due to a lower response rate from states and railroads 
over the past few years and the expected continuation of this trend. 
FRA is requesting a three-year approval from OMB for this information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Railroads and State governments.
    Estimated Total Number of Responses Per Year: 62,000 updates.
    Estimated Response Time per Form: .25 hr. (8,000 form updates); .50 
hr. per mass update list (337 mass update lists containing 24,000 
updates); .03333 hr. per GX computer update (30,000 updates on 36 GX 
computer disks).
    Total Annual Burden: 3,169 hours
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 
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.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 6, 1999.
M. Johnson,
Information Technology Manager, Office of Information Technology and 
Support Systems, Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-12049 Filed 5-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P