[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 59 (Wednesday, March 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14766-14768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7351]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently 
approved information collection activities. Before submitting these 
information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on 
specific aspects of the activities identified below.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than May 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 
Safety, 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, Mail Stop 35, 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 2130-0533.'' 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. 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: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning 
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 
Vermont Ave., NW, Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 
493-6292) or Dian Deal, Office of Information Technology and 
Productivity Improvement, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 
Vermont Ave., NW, Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 
493-6133). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Pub. L. 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 
1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA invites 
interested respondents to comment on the following summary of proposed 
information collection activities regarding (i) whether the information 
collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its 
functions, including whether the activities will have practical 
utility; (ii)

[[Page 14767]]

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; (iii) ways for FRA to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being 
collected; and (iv) 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). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(I)-(iv); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1)(I)-
(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will promote its 
efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated 
with the collection of information mandated by Federal regulations. In 
summary, FRA reasons that comments received will advance three 
objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure that it organizes 
information collection requirements in a ``user friendly'' format to 
improve the use of such information; and (iii) accurately assess the 
resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. See 
44 U.S.C. 3501.
    Below is a brief summary of the currently approved ICRs that FRA 
will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:
    Title: Qualifications For Locomotive Engineers.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0533.
    Abstract: Section 4 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1988 
(RSIA), Public Law 100-342, 102 Stat. 624 (June 22, 1988), later 
amended and re-codified by Public Law 103-272, 108 Stat. 874 (July 5, 
1994), required that FRA issue regulations to establish any necessary 
program for certifying or licensing locomotive engineers. The 
collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads 
employ and properly train qualified individuals as locomotive engineers 
and designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. The collection of 
information is also used by FRA to verify that railroads have 
established required certification programs for locomotive engineers 
and that these programs fully conform to the standards specified in the 
regulation.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 685 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion; annually; tri-annually.

                                                                    Reporting Burden
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                                                                                                                                     Total
                                                                                                                                    annual      Total
          CFR Section                     Respondent universe             Total annual responses       Average time per response    burden      annual
                                                                                                                                     hours   burden cost
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240.9--Waivers.................  685 railroads.......................  5 waivers...................  1 hour......................         5         $170
240.101/103--Certification Prog  685 railroads.......................  10 programs.................  200 hours/40 hours..........     1,840       62,560
240.101/103--Cert. Prog.--Final  685 railroads.......................  10 reviews..................  1 hour......................        10          340
 Rev.
240.105(a)--Selection Criteria   685 railroads.......................  10 reports..................  1 hour......................        10          490
 for DSLEs.
240.105(b)--DSLE Approval Plan-- 685 railroads.......................  75 amendments...............  1 hour......................        75        2,550
 Amendments.
240.111--Duty to Furnish Data    685 railroads.......................  400 calls...................  10 minutes..................        67        3,149
 on Prior Safety Conduct--Car
 Drvr.
240.1111--Driver's License Data  13,333 candidates...................  13,333 requests.............  15 minutes..................     3,333      156,651
240.111/App. C--RR Notification  685 railroads.......................  267 requests................  30 minutes..................       134        5,427
 to candidate--NDR Match
240.111(g)--Notice to RR of      40,000 candidates...................  4 letters...................  15 minutes..................         1           47
 Absence of License.
240.111/App. C--Written          685 railroads.......................  40 comments.................  15 minutes..................        10          470
 Response from candidate on
 Driver's Lic Data.
240.113--Notice to RR            13,333 candidates...................  534 requests/resp...........  15 min./30 min..............       200        7,671
 Furnishing Data on Prior
 Safety Conduct--Diff. RR.
240.115--Candidate's Comments    13,333 candidates...................  133 responses...............  30 minutes..................        67        3,149
 on Prior Saf. Conduct Data.
240.117--Criteria--Oper. Rules   685 railroads.......................  3 violations/appeals........  12 hours....................        36        1,764
 Compl. Data.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/       10 railroads........................  10 copies...................  15 minutes..................         3          102
 Hearing Acuity Data--New
 Railroads.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/       685 railroads.......................  17 reports..................  1 hour......................        17          578
 Hearing Acuity Data--Cond.
 Certification.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/       685 railroads.......................  10 notifications............  15 minutes..................         3          141
 Hearing Acuity Data--Not
 Meeting Standards.
240.201/221--List of Certified   685 railroads.......................  685 updates.................  15 minutes..................       171        5,814
 Loco. Engineers.
240.201/221--List of Qualified   685 railroads.......................  685 updates.................  15 minutes..................       171        5,814
 DSLEs.
240.201/223/301--Loco.           40,000 candidates...................  13,333 certificates.........  5 minutes...................     1,111       37,774
 Engineers Certificate.
240.201/223--List of Des.        685 railroads.......................  20 lists....................  15 minutes..................         5          170
 Persons Authorized to Sign
 DSLE Certificate.
240.205--Data to EAP Counselor.  685 railroads.......................  267 records.................  5 minutes...................        22        1,034
240.207--Medical Certificate...  40,000 candidates...................  13,333 certificates.........  70 minutes..................    15,555      528,870
240.209/213--Written Test......  40,000 candidates...................  13,333 tests................  2 hours.....................    26,666      906,644
240.211/213--Perf. Test........  40,000 candidates...................  13,333 tests................  2 hours.....................    26,666      906,644
240.215--Record Keeping--Loc.    685 railroads.......................  13,333 records..............  10 minutes..................     2,222       75,548
 Eng.
240.219--Denial of               13,333 candidates...................  150 letters/resp............  1 hour......................       150        6,075
 Certification.
240.219--Denial of               685 railroads.......................  75 notifications............  1 hour......................        75        2,550
 Certification--Notices.
240.227--Canadian Certification  Canadian railroads..................  200 certifications..........  15 minutes..................        50        1,700
 Data.

[[Page 14768]]

 
240.229--Requirement For Joint   685 railroads.......................  184 calls...................  5 minutes...................        15          705
 Operations Territory.
240.303--Annual Op. Monitoring   40,000 candidates...................  40,000 tests................  2 hours.....................    80,000    3,920,000
 Obs.
240.303--Annual Operational      40,000 candidates...................  40,000 tests................  1 hour......................    40,000    1,960,000
 Observ.
240.305--Eng. Notification of    40,000 candidates...................  10 notifications............  5 minutes...................         1           47
 Non-Qualification.
240.305--Engineer Notice of      40,000 candidates...................  2 letters...................  30 minutes..................         1           47
 Loss of Qualification.
240.307--Rev. of Certification-- 685 railroads.......................  500 letters.................  1 hour......................       500       17,000
 Notice of Eng.
 Disqualification.
240.309--RR Oversight Resp.--RR  42 railroads........................  42 reviews..................  80 hours....................     3,360      188,160
 Annual Review.
240.309--RR Oversight Resp.....  15 railroads........................  10 annotations..............  15 minutes..................         3          147
240.401--Engineer Appeal to FRA  40,000 Engineers....................  97 petitions................  12 hours....................     1,164       54,708
240.405--RR's Response to        685 railroads.......................  97 responses................  6 hours.....................       582       28,518
 Appeal.
240.407--Request For a Hearing.  685 railroads and 40,000 Engineers.   16 Hearing requests.........  30 minutes..................         8          376
240.411--Appeals...............  685 railroads and 40,000 Engineers.   2 Appeal notices............  2 hours.....................         4           94
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    Total Responses: 164,568.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 204,313 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    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, DC on March 19, 2002.
Kathy A. Weiner,
Director, Office of Information Technology and Support Systems, Federal 
Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-7351 Filed 3-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P