[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10588-10589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2825]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The 
ICRs describes the nature of the information collections and their 
expected burdens. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collections of information 
was published on December 20, 2005 (70 FR 75533).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 31, 2006.

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 Mr. 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 104-13, section 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 issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On December 20, 2005, FRA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register soliciting comment on ICRs that the agency was seeking 
OMB approval. 70 FR 75533. FRA received no comments in response to this 
notice. Accordingly, DOT announces that these information collection 
activities have been reevaluated and certified under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) 
and forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.12(c).
    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30 day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30 day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summaries below describe the nature of the information 
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The updated 
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by 
the PRA.
    Title: Identification of Cars Moved in Accordance with Order 13528.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0506.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Railroads.
    Form(s): None.
    Abstract: This collection of information identifies a freight car 
being moved within the scope of Order 13528 (now codified under 49 CFR 
232.3). 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 232.3(d)(3), which requires 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. Section 232.3(d)(3) does not require retaining cards or 
tags. When a car bearing a tag for movement under this provision 
arrives at its destination, the tags are simply removed.
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 67 hours.
    Title: U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Form.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Railroads and States.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.17.
    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,

[[Page 10589]]

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 
3-year approval from OMB for this information collection.
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 1,487 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding these information collections to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer.
    Comments are invited on the following: Whether the proposed 
collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimates of 
the burden of the proposed information collections; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2006.
Brenda Horn,
Acting Director, Office of Budget, Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-2825 Filed 2-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P