[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3837-3838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1372]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2011-001-N-16]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The 
ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and their 
expected burdens. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collections of information 
was published on November 16, 2011 (76 FR 221).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 24, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Janet Wylie, Office of Planning 
and Administration, RPD-3, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 20, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 
493-6353), or Ms. Kimberly Toone, 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.).

[[Page 3838]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 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 issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On November 16, 2011, FRA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register soliciting comments on an ICR that the agency was 
seeking OMB approval. 76 FR 221. FRA received no comments after issuing 
this 60-day notice. Accordingly, DOT announces that these information 
collection activities have been re-evaluated and certified under 5 CFR 
1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 
CFR 1320.12(c).
    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30-day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30-day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summaries below describe the nature of the information 
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The revised 
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by 
the PRA.
    Title: Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0548.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: State and local governments, government sponsored 
authorities and corporations, railroads, and joint ventures that 
include at least one railroad.
    Abstract: Title V of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory 
Reform Act of 1976 (Act), 45 U.S.C. 821 et seq., authorized the Federal 
Railroad Administration (FRA) to provide railroads financial assistance 
through the purchase of preference shares, and the issuance of loan 
guarantees. This program is referred to as the Railroad Rehabilitation 
and Improvement Financing (``RRIF Program''). Under the RRIF program, 
direct loans and loan guarantees may be provided to State and local 
governments, certain interstate compacts, government sponsored 
authorities and corporations, railroads, joint ventures that include at 
least one railroad, and solely for the purpose of constructing a rail 
connection between a plant or facility and a second rail carrier, 
limited option rail freight shippers that own or operate a plant or 
other facility that is served by no more than a single railroad.
    Form Number(s): FRA F-216, RRIF Program Loan Application and FRA F-
217, Categorical Exclusion Worksheet.
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 29,539.4 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding this information collection to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer. Alternatively, comments may be sent via 
email to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 
Office of Management and Budget, at the following address: [email protected].
    Comments are invited on the following: Whether the proposed 
collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Department, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimates of 
the burden of the proposed information collections; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 18, 2012.
Rebecca Pennington,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-1372 Filed 1-24-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P