[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78556-78557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30247]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2014-0011-N-24]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces that the renewal Information Collection Requests 
(ICRs) abstracted below arebeing forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal 
Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the 
following collection of information was published on October 17, 2014 
(79 FR 62513).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 2015.

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. 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 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 October 17, 2014, FRA published a 60-day notice in the 
Federal Register soliciting comment on ICR that the agency is seeking 
OMB approval. See 79 FR 62513. FRA received no comments in response to 
this notice.
    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

[[Page 78557]]

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 summary below describes the nature of the information 
collection requests (ICRs) and the expected burden. The revised request 
is being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by the PRA.
    Title: Inspection Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and 
Other Non-Passenger Trains and Equipment (Power Brakes and Drawbars).
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0008.
    Abstract: Section 7 of the Rail Safety Enforcement and Review Act 
of 1992, Public Law 102-365, amended Section 202 of the Federal 
Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (45 U.S.C. 421, 431 et seq.), empowered the 
Secretary of Transportation to conduct a review of the Department's 
rules with respect to railroad power brakes and, where applicable, 
prescribe standards regarding dynamic brake equipment. In keeping with 
the Secretary's mandate and the authority delegated from him to the FRA 
Administrator, FRA issued revisions to the regulations governing 
freight power brakes and equipment in October 2008 by adding a new 
subpart addressing electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake 
systems. The revisions are designed to provide for and encourage the 
safe implementation and use of ECT brake system technologies. These 
revisions contain specific requirements relating to design, 
interoperability, training, inspection, testing, handling defective 
equipment and periodic maintenance related to ECP brake systems. The 
final rule also identifies provisions of the existing regulations and 
statutes where FRA is proposing to provide flexibility to facilitate 
the voluntary adoption of this advanced brake system technology. The 
collection of information is used by FRA to monitor and enforce current 
regulatory requirements related to power brakes on freight cars as well 
as the recently added requirements related to ECP brake systems. The 
collection of information is also used by locomotive engineers and road 
crews to verify that the terminal air brake test has been performed in 
a satisfactory manner.
    Type of Request: Extension without change of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (Railroads).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Annual Estimated Burden: 991,451 hours.
    Title: Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating 
Employees.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0571.
    Abstract: The collection of information is used by FRA to ensure 
that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement--by 
specified dates--noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and 
audiometric testing programs, as well as hearing conservation training 
programs, to protect their employees against the damaging and 
potentially dangerous effects of excessive noise in the everyday rail 
environment.
    Type of Request: Extension with change of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (Railroads).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Annual Estimated Burden: 30,331 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding these information collections to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street NW., Washington, DC, 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to OMB 
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.

Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-30247 Filed 12-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P