[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76442-76443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29788]


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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 approval of the following 
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 February 17, 2009.

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, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 
20590, or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, 
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 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-New.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6497, or via e-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Ms. Jackson at [email protected]. 
Please refer to the assigned OMB control number and the title of the 
information collection 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, 1200 
New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6292) or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology, 
RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 
Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6073). (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 of such activities 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 proposed information collection 
activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under 
the PRA:
    Title: Notice Requesting Expressions of Interest in Implementing a 
High-Speed Inter-city Passenger Rail Corridor. (Please see the other 
FRA Notice in today's Federal Register that provides details of this 
proposed information collection.)
    OMB Control Number: 2130-New.
    Abstract: Section 502 of the Passenger Rail Investment and 
Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-432 (October 16, 2008), 
requires the Secretary of Transportation to ``issue a request for 
proposals for projects for the financing, design, construction, 
operation, and maintenance of a high-speed intercity passenger rail 
system operating within'' either the Northeast Corridor or a Federally-
designated high-speed rail (HSR) corridor. To satisfy this requirement, 
FRA is soliciting and encouraging the submission of Expressions of 
Interest for potential projects to finance, design, construct, operate, 
and maintain an improved HSR intercity passenger system in the 
Northeast Corridor or in one of ten Federally-designated corridors. FRA 
envisions this as the first phase of a qualification process that 
Congress may follow with more specific actions regarding particular 
concepts in one or more corridors. Section 502 prescribes that 
Expressions of Interest received will be considered by FRA and possibly 
by commissions, representing affected and involved governors, mayors, 
freight railroads, transit authorities, labor organizations, and 
Amtrak. The results of these reviews will be summarized in one or more 
reports to Congress, which will make recommendations for further action 
regarding no more than one project concept for each corridor. FRA 
envisions this as the first phase of a qualification process that 
Congress may follow with more specific actions

[[Page 76443]]

regarding particular concepts in one or more corridors.
    Although authorized, no funds have been appropriated to support 
implementation of HSR under this program, and the availability of such 
funds in the future is not known. Respondents to the request in today's 
Federal Register acknowledge, by virtue of their response, that the 
likelihood of future funding and implementation of the projects covered 
by that notice is unknown, and that the Federal Government will not be 
liable for any costs incurred in the preparation of responses to this 
notice.
    The information collected will be used by the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA), commissions to be formed in accordance with 
Section 502, and Congress. The collection of information--responses 
that describe high speed rail proposals--will be used to inform the 
Department and Congress about the benefits to the public and the 
national transportation system from high speed rail proposals received. 
Upon receipt of responses and after the close of the Expression of 
Interest solicitation, FRA will evaluate them and determine if each 
Expression of Interest is complete and if there is evidence provided in 
the response that would support conclusions, based on criteria 
specified in Section 502. If FRA determines that one or more 
Expressions of Interest satisfy this screening evaluation, FRA would 
form a commission for each relevant corridor to review and consider the 
response(s).
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Businesses, States, Individuals, Entities.
    Respondent Universe: 50 Individuals or Entities.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion; annually.

                                                Reporting Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           RFEI notice             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
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--Responses to Notice............  50 Individuals or    10 responses.......  3,400 hours........          34,000
                                    Entities.
--Identifying Letters to FRA       50 Individuals or    25 letters.........  30 minutes.........              13
 regarding RFEI questions.          Entities.
--RFEI Informational Sessions      50 Individuals or    25 sessions........  2 hours............              50
 with FRA.                          Entities.
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    Total Responses: 60.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 34,063 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 11, 2008.
Kimberly Orben,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-29788 Filed 12-15-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P