[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22165-22166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9505]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2011-0001-N-5]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 renewal of the following currently 
approved information collection request (ICR). 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 June 20, 2011.

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 Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, 
DC 20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-
20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 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 2130-0578.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6479, or via e-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Ms. Toone 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, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, D.C. 20590 
(telephone: (202) 493-6292) or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of 
Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6139). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 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 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 information 
collection request (ICR) that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA.
    Title: Implementation for Capital Grants for Rail Line Relocation 
and Improvement Projects.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0578.
    Abstract: Section 9002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) 
(Pub. L. 109-59, August 10, 2005) amends chapter 201 of Title 49 of the 
United States Code by adding section 20154. Section 20154 authorizes--
but does not appropriate--$350,000,000 per year for each of the fiscal 
years (FY) 2006 through 2009 for the purpose of funding a grant program 
to provide financial assistance for local rail line relocation and 
improvement projects. Section 20154 directs the Secretary of 
Transportation (Secretary) to issue regulations implementing this grant 
program, and the Secretary has delegated this responsibility to FRA. On 
July 11, 2008, FRA published the final rule intended to carry out that 
statutory mandate.
    Congress did not appropriate any funding for the Program for FY 
2006 or FY 2007. In FY 2008, Congress appropriated $20,145,000 for the 
Program, reduced by rescission too $20,040,200, $14,905,000 of which 
was available for discretionary (competitive) grants. After evaluating 
and scoring 37 applications, FRA awarded $14,315,300 to seven different 
projects, leaving $589,700. In FY 2009, Congress appropriate 
$25,000,000 and directed that $17,100,000 be awarded to 23

[[Page 22166]]

specific projects, with $7,900,000 left over discretionary grants. 
Subsequently, in FY 2010, Congress appropriated $34,532,000 for the 
Program, and directed that $24,519,200 go to 27 specifically enumerated 
projects. FRA combined the remaining $10,012,800 with $589,700 that was 
not awarded from the FY 2008 competition, $2,000,000 that was awarded 
to one of the FY 2008 projects but which the project sponsors 
ultimately turned down, and the $7,900,000 in FY 2009 discretionary 
funding for a total of $20,502,500. These funds were the subject of a 
Notice of Funding Availability FRA published in the Federal Register on 
September 10, 2010. The application period closed on October 29, 2010, 
and FRA is currently evaluating applications submitted. The information 
collected will be used by FRA to determine whether or not it is 
appropriate to provide financial assistance to State and local 
governments looking to undertake either rail relocation or rail 
improvement projects.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 75 States/Local Governments.
    Form Number(s): N/A.

                                                Reporting Burden
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                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR Section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
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262.11--Application Process......  75-States/Local      50-grant             580 hours/290 hours          21,750
                                    Governments.         application.
--Requests for Meeting with FRA    75-States/Local      10 requests........  30 minutes.........               5
 Administrator.                     Governments.
--Face-to-face Meetings with       75-States/Local      10 meeting.........  2 hours............              20
 Administrator to Discuss Project.  Governments.
262.15--Environmental Assessment.  75-States/Local      30 environmental     200 hours..........           6,000
                                    Governments.         documents.
--Consultations with FRA.........  75-States/Local      9 consults.........  2 hours............              18
                                    Governments.
262.17--State Agreements to        75-States/Local      1 agreement........  10 hours...........              10
 Combine Grant Awards.              Governments.
262.19-Close-Out Procedures......  75-States/Local      30 sets of close-    6 hours............             180
                                    Governments.         out documents.
--Project Reports................  75-States/Local      30 reports.........  80 hours...........           5,400
                                    Governments.
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    Total Responses: 170.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 33,383 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 April 14, 2011.
Donna Alwine,
Acting Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-9505 Filed 4-19-11; 8:45 am]
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