[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77553-77554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30364]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2013-0002-N-24]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

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 February 21, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Ms. Janet Wylie 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 acknowledge receipt of their 
respective comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard 
stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0580.'' Alternatively, 
comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-6170, or via 
email to Ms. Wylie 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: Ms. Janet Wylie, Office of Information 
and Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, 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.)

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. 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 is a brief summary of currently approved information 
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: Notice of Funding Availability and Solicitations of 
Applications for Grants under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair 
Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0580.
    Abstract: The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 110-329; September 30, 
2008), established the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair Program, 
making Federal funds available directly to States. This Program allowed 
grants to fund up to 80 percent of the cost of rehabilitation and 
repairs to Class II and Class III railroad infrastructure damaged by 
hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters in areas that are 
located in counties that have been identified in a Disaster Declaration 
for Public Assistance by the President under title IV of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974. Funding 
was made available on a reimbursement basis for costs incurred after a 
major disaster declaration that was made between January 1, 2008 and 
the date of the publication of the notice of funding availability in 
the counties covered by such a declaration. Rehabilitation and repairs 
include rights-of-way, bridges, signals, and other infrastructure which 
is part of the general railroad system of transportation and primarily 
used by railroads to move freight traffic.
    FRA recently revised this Information Collection Request (ICR) to 
allow for the submission of additional grants under this program based 
on the Notice of Funding Availability published by FRA on 10/13/2013 
and the emergency clearance request approved by OMB on 11/05/2013. Any 
grants submitted as part of this previous ICR were due by December 9, 
2013. Therefore, this revision no longer includes any burden hours for 
the application process, as no new applications are being accepted at 
this time.
    Due to the nature of these disaster assistance funds, current 
economic conditions, and the various States need for immediate 
assistance to vital freight transportation pathways and the important 
role these sectors of transportation play in the overall national 
economy, FRA is requesting OMB to extend this ICR in order to manage 
the current grants obligated

[[Page 77554]]

under this program until the remaining grants have properly closed-out 
and are completed.
    Form Number(s): SF-425, SF-271, SF-270.
    Affected Public: Railroads, businesses, States/Local governments.
    Reporting Burden: Close-out procedures.
    Respondent Universe: 49.
    Total Annual Responses: 6.
    Average Time per Response: 84.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 504.
    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 December 3, 2013.
Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-30364 Filed 12-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P