[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51810-51811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20283]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2013-0033]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment 
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB) approval to renew the following information collection:

49 CFR part 659--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems; State Safety Oversight

    The information collected enables each SSO agency to monitor each 
rail transit agency's implementation of the State's requirements as 
specified in the Program Standard approved by FTA. The Federal Register 
Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published 
on June 5, 2013.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 20, 2013 A comment 
to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaStar Matthews, Office of 
Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-2295.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: 49 CFR part 659--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems; State Safety 
Oversight (OMB Number: 2132-0558).
    Abstract: 49 U.S.C. 5330 requires States to designate a State 
Safety Oversight (SSO) agency to oversee the safety and security of 
each rail transit agency within the State's jurisdiction. To comply 
with Section 5330, SSO agencies must develop program standards which 
meet FTA's minimum requirements. In the Program Standard, which must be 
approved by FTA, each SSO agency must require each rail

[[Page 51811]]

transit agency in the State's jurisdiction to prepare and implement a 
System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) and System Security Plan (SSP). The 
SSO agency also requires the rail transit agencies in its jurisdiction 
to conduct specific activities, such as accident investigation, 
implementation of a hazard management program, and the management of an 
internal safety and security audit process. SSO agencies review and 
approve the SSPPs and SSPs of the rail transit agencies. Once every 
three years, States conduct an on-site review of the rail transit 
agencies in their jurisdictions to assess SSPP/SSP implementation and 
to determine whether these plans are effective and if they need to be 
updated. SSO agencies develop final reports documenting the findings 
from these on-site reviews and require corrective actions. SSO agencies 
also review and approve accident investigation reports, participate in 
the rail transit agency's hazard management program, and oversee 
implementation of the rail transit agency's internal safety and 
security audit process. SSO agencies review and approve corrective 
action plans and track and monitor rail transit agency activities to 
implement them.
    Collection of this information enables each SSO agency to monitor 
each rail transit agency's implementation of the State's requirements 
as specified in the Program Standard approved by FTA. Without this 
information, States would not be able to oversee the rail transit 
agencies in their jurisdictions. Recommendations from the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Government Accountability 
Office (GAO) have encouraged States and rail transit agencies to devote 
additional resources to these safety activities and safety oversight in 
general.
    SSO agencies also submit an annual certification to FTA that the 
State is in compliance with Section 5330 and an annual report 
documenting the State's safety and security oversight activities. 
States also submit annual grant applications for Federal transit 
assistance and report quarterly on the progress of those activities. 
FTA uses the annual information submitted by the States to monitor 
implementation of the program. If a State fails to comply with Section 
5330, FTA may withhold up to five percent of the funds appropriated for 
use in a State or urbanized area in the State under section 5307. The 
information submitted by the States ensures FTA's compliance with 
applicable federal laws, OMB Circular A-102, and 49 CFR Part 18, 
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements with State and Local Governments.''
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 177,820 hours.

ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725--17th Street NW. Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk Officer.
    Comments are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is 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 estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

Matthew M. Crouch,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-20283 Filed 8-20-13; 8:45 am]
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