[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 179-180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31110]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2009-0111]


Notice of Petition for Waiver of Compliance and Scheduling of 
Public Hearing Association of American Railroads

    In accordance with part 211 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), this document provides notice that the Association 
of American Railroads (AAR) has petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain 
requirements of 49 CFR parts 234 and 236, as detailed below. FRA has 
assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2009-0111.
    AAR seeks a waiver on behalf of its member railroads from the 
monthly inspections and test requirements for signal systems set forth 
at 49 CFR 234.249, 234.251, 234.253, 234.255,

[[Page 180]]

234.257, 234.261, 236.382, and 236.576. AAR seeks explicit 
authorization for its members to conduct the inspections and tests 
required by these regulatory provisions at intervals of up to 35 days, 
as opposed to at least once each month. A copy of AAR's full petition 
is available for review online at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Because the time frames for conducting various inspections and 
tests required by 49 CFR parts 234 and 236 (including the sections at 
issue in AAR's waiver petition) have been the subject of much 
discussion in the industry over the last several years and also the 
subject of previous waiver requests, FRA believes holding a public 
hearing on the issues presented by AAR's petition would be beneficial. 
Accordingly, FRA invites all interested persons to participate in a 
public hearing addressing the time frames of the tests and inspections 
that are the subject of AAR's request.

DATES: (1) Public Hearing: A public hearing will be held on February 
10, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in Washington DC.
    (2) Comments: Interested parties may submit comments relevant to 
this waiver request and/or issues discussed at the hearing to the 
address noted below. Such written material should be submitted by March 
12, 2010. Comments submitted after that date will be considered to the 
extent possible.

ADDRESSES: (1) Public Hearing: The public hearing will be held at the 
Marriott Washington Wardman Park, 2660 Woodley Road, NW., Washington, 
DC, 20008.
    (2) Attendance: Any persons wishing to make a statement at the 
hearing should notify FRA's Docket Clerk, Michelle Silva, by telephone, 
e-mail, or in writing, at least 5 business days before the date of the 
hearing. Ms. Silva's contact information is as follows: FRA, Office of 
Chief Counsel, Mail Stop 10, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590; telephone 202-493-6030; e-mail [email protected]. For 
information on facilities or services for persons with disabilities or 
to request special assistance at the meeting, contact Ms. Silva by 
telephone or e-mail as soon as possible.
    (3) Comments: Anyone wishing to file a comment related to this 
waiver petition or issues raised at the hearing should refer to FRA 
Docket Number FRA-2009-0111. You may submit your comments and related 
material by any of the following methods:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    All written communications submitted in response to this notice 
will be available for examination at the above-facility during regular 
business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. All documents in the public docket are also available 
for inspection and download on the internet at the docket facility's 
Web site at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written 
communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.) 
You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 
19477-78).

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 28, 2009.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety Standards and Program 
Development.
[FR Doc. E9-31110 Filed 12-31-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P