[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75533-75534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7569]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 February 21, 2006.

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 Mr. Victor Angelo, Office of Support Systems, 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 2130-0017 or on OMB 
control number 2130-0506.'' 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 Mr. Angelo 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 Victor Angelo, Office of Support Systems, RAD-20, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 35, 
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6470). (These telephone 
numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 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

[[Page 75534]]

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) 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: U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Form.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Form FRA F 6180.71 is a voluntary form, and is used by 
States and railroads to periodically update certain site 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 (previous 
designation of this form) since 1974 and maintained in the National 
Inventory File database since 1975. The primary purpose of the National 
Inventory File is to provide for the existence of a uniform database 
which can be merged with accidents data and used to analyze information 
for planning and implementation of crossing safety 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 for this form through July 31, 2006. FRA is 
requesting a new three year approval from OMB for this information 
collection.
    Form Number(s): Form FRA F 6180.71.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 650 Railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion; monthly.
    Reporting Burden:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Respondent                       Average time
                                   universe       Total annual     per response    Total annual    Total annual
                                  (railroads)       responses        (minutes)     burden hours     burden cost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crossing Inventory--Forms.....             650  2,219 forms.....              15             555         $32,745
Crossing Inventory--Mass                   650  250 printouts                 30             125           7,375
 Update Printouts.                               (4,304 updated
                                                 records).
Crossing Inventory--Disc/Tape              650  700 discs/tapes               30             350          20,650
 (non-GX).                                       (103,040
                                                 records
                                                 updated).
Crossing Inventory--GX                     650  9,140 records                  3             457          26,963
 Electronic Updates.                             updated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Responses: 118,703.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1,487 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Title: Identification of Cars Moved in Accordance with Order 13528.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0506.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This collection of information identifies a freight car 
being moved within the scope of Order 13528 (Order). See CFR part 232, 
Appendix B. Otherwise, an exception will be taken, and the car will be 
set out of the train and not delivered. The information that must be 
recorded is specified at 49 CFR Part 232, Appendix B, requiring that a 
car be properly identified by a card attached to each side of the car 
and signed stating that such movement is being made under the authority 
of the order. The Order does not require retaining cards or tags. When 
a car bearing a tag for movement under the Order arrives at its 
destination, the tags are simply removed.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 685 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 800 tags.
    Average Time Per Response: 5 minutes per tag.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 67 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 December 15, 2005.
D.J. Stadtler,
Director, Office of Budget, Federal Railroad Administration.
 [FR Doc. E5-7569 Filed 12-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P