[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 113 (Monday, June 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34287-34289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14549]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA 2011-001-N-8]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

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 activities. Before submitting these 
information collection requirements (ICRs) 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 August 12, 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 Ave., SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 
20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, 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 2130-0004.'' 
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. 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 Ave., SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6292) or Ms. Kimberly Toone,

[[Page 34288]]

Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6132). (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 ICRs that FRA 
will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:
    Title: Railroad Locomotive Safety Standards and Event Recorder.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0004.
    Abstract: The Locomotive Inspection requires railroads to inspect, 
repair, and maintain locomotives and event recorders so that they are 
safe, free of defects, and can be placed in service without peril to 
life. Crashworthy locomotive event recorders provide FRA with 
verifiable factual information about how trains are maintained and 
operated, and are used by FRA and State inspectors for Part 229 rule 
enforcement. The information garnered from crashworthy event recorders 
is also used by railroads to monitor railroad operations and by 
railroad employees (locomotive engineers, train crews, dispatchers) to 
improve train handling, and promote the safe and efficient operation of 
trains throughout the country, based on a surer knowledge of different 
control inputs.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 744 Railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                        Respondent          Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section                   universe            responses             response        burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
229.9--Movement of Non-Complying   744 Railroads......  21,000 tags........  1 minute...........             350
 Locomotives.
229.17--Accident Reports.........  744 Railroads......  1 report...........  15 minutes.........             .25
29.21--Daily Inspection..........  744 Railroads......  5,655,000 insp.      1 minute or 3               155,350
                                                         reports/records.     minutes.
    Written Reports of MU          744 Railroads......  250 written reports  3 minutes..........              13
     Locomotive Inspections.
Form FRA F 6180.49A..............  744 Railroads......  4,000 forms........  2 minutes..........             133
210.31--Locomotive Noise Emission  744 Railroads......  100 tests/remarks..  15 minutes.........              25
 Test.
229.23--Periodic Inspections of    744 Railroads......  87,000 tests/forms.  8 hours............         696,000
 Locomotives and Steam Generators.
229.33--Out of Use Credit for      744 Railroads......  500 out-of-use       5 minutes..........              42
 Locomotives.                                            notations.
229.25--Periodic Inspection of     744 Railroads......  200 amendments.....  15 minutes.........              50
 Event Recorders--Written Copy of
 Instructions--Amendments.
    Data Verification Readout....  744 Railroads......  4,025 readout        90 minutes.........           6,038
                                                         records/reports.
    Pre-Maintenance Test Failures  744 Railroads......  700 test failure     30 minutes.........             350
                                                         notations.
229.135--Removal from Service....  744 Railroads......  1,000 removal tags.  1 minute...........              17
    Preserving Accident Data.....  744 Railroads......  2,930 data reports.  15 minutes.........             733
229.27--Annual Tests.............  744 Railroads......  700 test records...  90 minutes.........           1,050
229.135--Certified Memory Modules  744 Railroads......  200 certified        2 hours + 200 hours             600
                                                         memory modules.      for test design.
    Lead Locomotives w/Certified   744 Railroads......  600 certified        2 hours............           1,200
     Module.                                             memory modules.
    Re-Manufactured Event          744 Railroads......  1,000 certified      2 hours............           2,000
     Recorders with Certified                            memory modules.
     Module.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Form(s): FRA F 6180.49A.
    Total Responses: 5,779,206.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 863,951 hours.
    Type of Request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
collection.
    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.


[[Page 34289]]


    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 7, 2011.
Kimberly Coronel,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-14549 Filed 6-10-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P