[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 178 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53071-53072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21180]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2008-0041]


Agency Information Collection Activity under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend 
the following currently approved information collection: Rail Fixed 
Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight. The Federal Register Notice 
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on June 
23, 2008. No comments were received in response to that notice.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before October 14, 2008. A comment to 
OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaStar Matthews, Office of 
Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-2295 or e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight.
    OMB Number: 2132-0558.
    Abstract: 49 U.S.C. 5330 requires States to designate a State 
Safety Oversight (SSO) agency to oversee the safety and security of 
each rail transit agency within the State's jurisdiction. To comply 
with Section 5330, SSO agencies must develop program standards which 
meet FTA's minimum requirements. In the Program Standard, which must be 
approved by FTA, each SSO agency must require each rail transit agency 
in the State's jurisdiction to prepare and implement a System Safety 
Program Plan (SSPP) and System Security Plan (SSP). The SSO agency also 
requires the rail transit agencies in its jurisdiction to conduct 
specific activities, such as accident investigation, implementation of 
a hazard management program, and the management of an internal safety 
and security audit process. SSO agencies review and approve the SSPPs 
and SSPs of the rail transit agencies. Once every three years, States 
conduct an on-site review of the rail transit agencies in their 
jurisdictions to assess SSPP/SSP implementation and to determine 
whether these plans are effective and if they need to be updated. SSO 
agencies develop final reports documenting the findings from these on-
site reviews and require corrective actions. SSO agencies also review 
and approve accident investigation reports, participate in the rail 
transit agency's hazard management program, and oversee implementation 
of the rail transit agency's internal safety and security audit 
process. SSO agencies review and approve corrective action plans and 
track and monitor rail transit agency activities to implement them.
    Collection of this information enables each SSO agency to monitor 
each rail transit agency's implementation of the State's requirements 
as specified in the Program Standard approved by FTA. Without this 
information, States would not be able to oversee the rail transit 
agencies in their jurisdictions. Recent recommendations from the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) have encouraged States and rail transit 
agencies to devote additional resources to these safety activities and 
safety oversight in general.
    SSO agencies also submit an annual certification to FTA that the 
State is in compliance with Section 5330 and an annual report 
documenting the State's safety and security oversight activities. FTA 
uses the annual information submitted by the States to monitor 
implementation of the program. If a State fails to comply with Section 
5330, FTA may withhold up to five percent of the funds appropriated for 
use in a State or urbanized area in the State under section 5307. The 
information submitted by the States ensures FTA's compliance with 
applicable federal

[[Page 53072]]

laws, OMB Circular A-102, and 49 CFR Part 18, ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local 
Governments.''
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 142,393 hours.

ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk 
Officer.
    Comments are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is 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 estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued: September 8, 2008.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-21180 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
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