[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 221 (Thursday, November 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68203-68204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27790]


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 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2012-0006-N-15]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice.

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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 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 January 14, 2013.

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 2130-0525'' 
and/or ``Comments on OMB Control Number 2130-0529.'' Alternatively, 
comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-6216 or (202) 
493-6170, or via email 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. 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.)

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-day 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),

[[Page 68204]]

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 are brief summaries of the two currently approved information 
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: Certification of Glazing Materials.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0525.
    Abstract: The collection of information is set forth under 49 CFR 
Part 223, which requires the certification and permanent marking of 
glazing materials by the manufacturer. The manufacturer is also 
responsible for making available test verification data to railroads 
and FRA upon request.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 5 Manufacturers.

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                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
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223.17--Identification of          4 Manufacturers....  200 stencilings or   15 minutes.........              50
 Equipped Locomotives, Passenger                         metal plates.
 Cars, and Caboose.
223.17--Appendix A--Requests for   5 Manufacturers....  10 request.........  15 minutes.........               3
 Glazing Certification.
    --Marking Individual Units of  5 Manufacturers....  25,000 pieces......  480 pieces per hour              52
     Glazing Material.
    --Testing New Material and     5 Manufacturers....  1 test.............  14 hours...........              14
     Providing Verification Data.
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    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 25,211.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 119 hours.
    Status: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Title: Disqualification Proceedings.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0529.
    Abstract: Under 49 U.S.C. 20111(c), FRA is authorized to issue 
orders disqualifying railroad employees, including supervisors, 
managers, and other agents, from performing safety-sensitive service in 
the rail industry for violations of safety rules, regulations, 
standards, orders, or laws evidencing unfitness. FRA's regulations, 49 
CFR Part 209, Subpart D, implement the statutory provision by requiring 
(i) a railroad employing or formerly employing a disqualified 
individual to disclose the terms and conditions of a disqualification 
order to the individual's new or prospective employing railroad; (ii) a 
railroad considering employing an individual in a safety-sensitive 
position to ask the individual's previous employing railroad whether 
the individual is currently serving under a disqualification order; and 
(iii) a disqualified individual to inform his new or prospective 
employer of the disqualification order and provide a copy of the same. 
Additionally, the regulations prohibit a railroad from employing a 
person serving under a disqualification order to work in a safety-
sensitive position. This information serves to inform a railroad 
whether an employee or prospective employee is currently disqualified 
from performing safety-sensitive service based on the issuance of a 
disqualification order by FRA. Furthermore, it prevents an individual 
currently serving under a disqualification order from retaining and 
obtaining employment in a safety-sensitive position in the rail 
industry.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Railroad Employees.
    Respondent Universe: 40,000 Locomotive Engineers.
    Total Responses: 3.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 5 hours.
    Status: Extension 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 8, 2012.
Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer, Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-27790 Filed 11-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P