[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 170 (Thursday, September 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53765-53767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20069]


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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 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 November 1, 2004.

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. Debra Steward, 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

[[Page 53766]]

include a self-addressed stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB 
control number 2130-NEW.'' Alternatively, comments may be transmitted 
via facsimile to (202) 493-6230 or (202) 493-6170, or e-mail to Mr. 
Brogan at [email protected], or to Ms. Steward 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 Debra Steward, Office of Information Technology and 
Productivity Improvement, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 
Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 
493-6139). (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. Sec. Sec.  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. Sec.  
3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR Sec. Sec.  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) 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. Sec.  
3506(c)(2)(A)(i)-(iv); 5 CFR Sec.  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. Sec.  3501.
    Below is a brief summary of proposed new information collection 
activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under 
the PRA:
    Title: Safety Appliance Concern Recommendation Report; Guidance 
Checklist Forms.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-NEW.
    Abstract: In an ongoing effort to conduct more thorough and more 
effective inspections of railroad freight equipment and to further 
enhance safe rail operations, FRA has developed a safety concern 
recommendation report form, and a group of guidance checklist forms 
that will facilitate railroad, rail car owner, and rail equipment 
manufacturer compliance with agency Railroad Safety Appliance Standards 
regulations. In lieu of completing an official inspection report (Form 
FRA F 6180.96), which takes subject railroad equipment out of service 
and disrupts rail operations, proposed new Form FRA F 6180.4a will 
enable Federal and State safety inspectors to report to agency 
headquarters systemic or other safety concerns. FRA headquarters safety 
specialists can then contact railroads, car owners, and equipment 
manufacturers to address the reported issue(s) and institute necessary 
corrective action(s) in a timely fashion without unnecessarily having 
to take affected rail equipment out of service, unless deemed 
defective. Proposed forms FRA F 6180.4(b)-(m) will be used in 
conjunction with the Special Inspection of Safety Appliance Equipment 
form (Form FRA F 6180.4) to assist Federal Motive, Power, and Equipment 
(MP&E) field inspectors in ensuring that critical sections of 49 CFR 
Part 231 (Railroad Safety Appliance Standards), pertaining to various 
types of freight equipment, are complied with through use of a check-
off list. By simplifying their demanding work, check-off lists for 12 
essential sections of Part 231 will ensure that FRA MP&E field 
personnel completely and thoroughly inspect each type of freight car 
for compliance with its corresponding section in Part 231. The proposed 
Guidance Checklist forms may later be used by state field inspectors as 
well. FRA believes that the proposed collection of information will 
result in improved construction of newly designed freight cars and 
improved field inspections of all freight cars currently in use. This, 
in turn, will serve to reduce the number of accidents/incidents and 
corresponding injuries and fatalities that occur every year due to 
unsafe or defective equipment that was not promptly repaired/replaced.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.4(a)-(m).
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                   Total annual    Average time
          Form number              Respondent        responses     per response    Total annual    Total annual
                                    universe          (forms)        (minutes)     burden hours     burden cost
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FRA F 6180.4a--MP&E Safety      100 Fed'l &                   50              60              50          $2,450
 Concern and Recommendation      State
 Report.                         Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4b--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   20              60              20             980
 231.1.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 100 6180.4c--Check List   100 Fed'l &                   20              60              20             980
 Sec. 231.2.                     State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4d--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   10              60              10             490
 231.3.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4e--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                    5              60               5             245
 231.4.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4f--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                    5              60               5             245
 231.5.                          State
                                 Inspectors.

[[Page 53767]]

 
FRA F 6180.4g--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   30              60              30           1,470
 231.6.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4h--Check List       100 Fed'l &                    5              60               5             245
 231.7.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4i--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                    5              60               5             245
 231.8.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4j--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                    5              60               5             245
 231.9.                          State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4k--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   50              60              50           2,450
 231.21.                         State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4l--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   25              60              25           1,225
 231.27.                         State
                                 Inspectors.
FRA F 6180.4m--Check List Sec.  100 Fed'l &                   10              60              10             490
 231.28.                         State
                                 Inspectors.
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    Respondent Universe: Federal and State Safety Inspectors.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 240 Forms.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 240 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR Sec. Sec.  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. Sec. Sec.  3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC on August 27, 2004.
Kathy A. Weiner,
Director, Office of Information Technology and Support Systems, Federal 
Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-20069 Filed 9-1-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P