[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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