[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63899-63900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26594]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
49 CFR Part 236
[Docket No. FRA-2011-0028, Notice No. 2]
RIN 2130-AC27
Positive Train Control Systems
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of public hearing and extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: On August 24, 2011, FRA published a notice of proposed
rulemaking that would remove regulatory provisions requiring railroads
to either conduct further analyses or meet certain risk-based criteria
in order to avoid positive train control (PTC) system implementation on
track segments that do not transport poison- or toxic-by-inhalation
(PIH) hazardous materials traffic and are not used for intercity or
commuter rail passenger transportation as of December 31, 2015. FRA is
announcing a public hearing to provide interested persons an
opportunity to provide comments on the proposal and to discuss further
development of the regulation. The Rail
[[Page 63900]]
Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires the implementation of PTC
systems. FRA is also extending the comment period for this proceeding
to allow time for interested parties to submit comments after the
public hearing.
DATES: A public hearing will be held on November 10, 2011, in
Washington, DC and will commence at 9 a.m. The comment period in this
proceeding is extended to November 25, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Public Hearing. The public hearing will be held at the
Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005.
Attendance: Any persons wishing to make a statement at the hearing
should notify Michelle Silva in FRA's Office of Chief Counsel by
telephone, e-mail, or in writing, at least five 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, please contact by telephone or e-mail as soon as possible,
Larry Woolverton at 202-493-6212 or [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas McFarlin, Office of Safety
Assurance and Compliance, Staff Director, Signal & Train Control
Division, Federal Railroad Administration, Mail Stop 25, West Building
3rd Floor West, Room W35-332, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington,
DC 20590 (telephone: 202-493-6203); or Jason Schlosberg, Trial
Attorney, Office of Chief Counsel, RCC-10, Mail Stop 10, West Building
3rd Floor, Room W31-207, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC
20590 (telephone: 202-493-6032).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the hearing is to receive
oral comments in response to a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
proposing amendment of the regulations requiring certain railroads to
implement PTC systems. See 76 FR 52918 (Aug. 24, 2011). Interested
parties are invited to present oral statements and to proffer
information and views at the hearing. The hearing will be informal and
will be conducted by a representative designated by FRA in accordance
with FRA's Rules of Practice (49 CFR 211.25). The hearing will be a
non-adversarial proceeding; therefore, there will be no cross
examination of persons presenting statements or proffering evidence. An
FRA representative will make an opening statement outlining the scope
of the hearing. After all initial statements have been completed; those
persons wishing to make a brief rebuttal will be given the opportunity
to do so in the same order in which the initial statements were made.
Additional procedures, as necessary for the conduct of the hearing,
will be announced at the hearing. A transcript of the discussions will
be made part of the public docket in this proceeding.
Public Participation Procedures. Any person wishing to participate
in the public hearing should notify FRA by mail or at the address or
fax number provided in the Attendance section of this notice at least
five working days prior to the date of the hearing and submit three
copies of the oral statement that he or she intends to make at the
proceeding. The notification should identify the party the person
represents, the particular subject(s) the person plans to address, and
the time requested. The notification should also provide the Docket
Clerk with the participant's mailing address and other contact
information. FRA reserves the right to limit participation in the
hearing of persons who fail to provide such notification. FRA reserves
the right to limit the duration of presentations if necessary to afford
all persons with the opportunity to speak.
Extension of Comment Period. A public hearing has been scheduled
after the close of the comment period specifically provided for in the
notice of proposed rulemaking. To accommodate the public hearing and to
afford interested parties the opportunity to submit comments in
response to views or information provided at the public hearing, FRA is
extending the comment period in this proceeding to November 25, 2011.
Issued in Washington, DC, on October 11, 2011.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer,
Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-26594 Filed 10-13-11; 8:45 am]
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