[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11948-11950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03869]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2013-0002-N-4]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

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 (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 April 22, 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 2130-0533.'' 
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-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

[[Page 11949]]

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: Qualifications for Locomotive Engineers.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0533.
    Abstract: Section 4 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1988 
(RSIA), Public Law 100-342, 102 Stat. 624 (June 22, 1988), later 
amended and re-codified by Public Law 103-272, 108 Stat. 874 (July 5, 
1994), required that FRA issue regulations to establish any necessary 
program for certifying or licensing locomotive engineers. The 
collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads 
employ and properly train qualified individuals as locomotive engineers 
and designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. The collection of 
information is also used by FRA to verify that railroads have 
established required certification programs for locomotive engineers 
and that these programs fully conform to the standards specified in the 
regulation.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 733 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion; annually; tri-annually.

                                                Reporting Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden  hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
240.9--Waivers...................  733 railroads......  3 waiver petitions.  1 hour.............               3
240.101/103--Cert. Prog.--         733 railroads......  50 amendments......  1 hour.............              50
 Amendmnts.
    --Cert. Prog.--New...........  20 railroads.......  20 programs........  40 hours...........             800
    --Final Review...............  20 railroads.......  20 reviews.........  1 hour.............              20
    --Material Modification to     733 railroads......  30 modified prog...  45 minutes.........              23
     Program.
240.105(b)--Selection Criteria     733 railroads......  50 examinations....  1 hour.............              50
 for DSLEs--Exams.
(c) Written Reports/               10 railroads.......  10 reports.........  1 hour.............              10
 Determinations of DSLE
 Performance Skills.
240.109/App. C--Prior Safety       17,667 candidates..  25 responses.......  60 minutes.........              25
 Conduct Data.
240.111/App C--Driver's License    17,667 candidates..  17,667 requests....  15 minutes.........           4,417
 Data.
    --NDR Match--notifications     733 railroads......  177 notices + 177    15 min. + 15 min...              89
     and requests for data.                              requests.
    --Written response from        733 railroads......  20 cases/comments..  15 minutes.........               5
     candidate on driver's lic.
     data candidates.
240.111(g)--Notice to RR of        53,000 candidates..  4 letters..........  15 minutes.........               1
 Absence of License.
240.111(h)--Duty to furnish data   733 railroads......  200 phone calls....  10 minutes.........              33
 on prior safety conduct as motor
 vehicle op..
240.113--Notice to RR Furnishing   17,667 candidates..  353 requests + 353   15 min./30 min.....             265
 Data on Prior Safety Conduct--                          responses.
 Diff. RR.
240.119--Self-referral to EAP re:  53,000 locomotive    50 self-referrals..  5 minutes..........               4
 active substance abuse disorder.   engineers.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/Hearing  20 railroads.......  20 copies..........  15 minutes.........               5
 Acuity Data--New Railroads.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/Hearing  733 railroads......  20 reports.........  1 hour.............              20
 Acuity Data--Cond. Certification.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/Hearing  733 railroads......  10 notifications...  15 minutes.........               3
 Acuity Data--Not Meeting
 Standards--Notice by Employee.
240.127--Criteria for Examining    733 railroads......  46 amended programs  48 hours + 8 hours.           7,704
 Skill Performance--Modification                         + 687 amended
 to Certification Program to                             programs.
 Include Scoring System.
240.201/221--List of Qualified     733 railroads......  733 updates........  60 minutes.........             733
 DSLEs.
240.201/221--List of Qualified     733 railroads......  733 updated lists..  60 minutes.........             733
 Loco. Engineers.
240.201/223/301--Loco. Engineers   53,000 candidates..  17,667 certificates  5 minutes..........           1,472
 Certificate.
    --False entry on certificates  N/A................  N/A................  N/A................             N/A
240.205--Data to EAP Counselor...  733 railroads......  177 records........  5 minutes..........              15
240.207--Medical Certificate       53,000 candidates..  17,667 certificates  70 minutes.........          20,612
 Showing Hearing/Vision Standards
 are Met.
    --Written determinations       733 railroads......  10 determinations..  2 hours............              20
     waiving use of corrective
     device.
240.219--Denial of Certification.  17,667 candidates..  30 letters + 30      1 hour.............              60
                                                         responses.
    --Notification to Employee of  733 railroads......  30 notifications...  1 hour.............              30
     Adverse Decision.
240.227--Canadian Certification    N/A................  N/A................  N/A................             N/A
 Data.
240. 229--Joint Operations--       321 railroads......  184 employee calls.  5 minutes..........              15
 Notice--not qualified.
240.309--RR Oversight Resp.:       15 railroads.......  6 annotations......  15 minutes.........               2
 Detected Poor Safety Conduct--
 Annotation.
Testing Requirements:
    240.209/213--Written Tests...  53,000 candidates..  17,667 tests.......  2 hours............          35,334
240.211/213--Performance Test....  53,000 candidates..  17,667 tests.......  2 hours............          35,334
240.303--Annual operational        53,000 candidates..  53,000 tests/docs..  2 hours............         106,000
 monitor observation.
240.303--Annual operating rules    53,000 candidates..  53,000 tests.......  1 hour.............          53,000
 compliance test.

[[Page 11950]]

 
Recordkeeping:
    240.215--Retaining Info.       733 railroads......  17,667 records.....  30 minutes.........           8,834
     Supporting Determination.
240.305--Engineer's Notice of Non- 53,000 engineers or  100 notifications..  5 minutes..........               8
 Qualification to RR --Relaying.    candidates.
    --Certification Denial or      1,060 engineers....  2 letters..........  30 minutes.........               1
     Revocation Status to other
     certifying railroad.
240.307--Notice to Engineer of     733 railroads......  900 letters........  1 hour.............             900
 Disqualification.
240.309--Railroad Annual Review..  51 railroads.......  51 reviews.........  40 hours...........           2,040
    --Report of findings.........  51 railroads.......  12 reports.........  1 hour.............              12
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    Total Responses: 217,325.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 278,682 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    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 February 13, 2013.
Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer, Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-03869 Filed 2-19-13; 8:45 am]
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