[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 13458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05751]



[[Page 13458]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2015-0009]


Filing Process for Petitions for Waiver and Other Exemptions, 
Applications, and Special Approvals

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that FRA has created 
an electronic mailbox to receive petitions for waivers and exemptions 
from railroad safety rules and regulations, as well as applications for 
modification or discontinuance of railroad signal systems (block signal 
applications) and certain special approvals from railroad safety rules 
and regulations. The email address for this inbox is 
[email protected]. FRA requests that all railroad safety waiver and 
exemption requests, as well as block signal applications and special 
approval applications be submitted either to FRA's Docket Clerk in 
accordance with the existing requirements in Title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Part 211, Rules of Practice, or to this email 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Milicent D. White, Program Specialist, 
202-493-1328, [email protected], 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces FRA's establishment 
of an electronic mailbox to receive petitions for waivers, certain 
petitions for special approvals and exemptions from railroad safety 
rules and regulations, as well as block signal applications. The email 
address for this inbox is [email protected]. FRA anticipates providing 
a link on its Web page (www.fra.dot.gov) to this mailbox to further 
streamline the filing process. FRA created this electronic mailbox in 
order to streamline the filing process for certain documents typically 
filed in accordance with 49 CFR 211.7, Filing Requirements, including 
petitions for waiver of any FRA rule or regulation, applications for 
special approval under 49 CFR 211.55 or 238.21, restricted car 
approvals under 49 CFR 215.203, grandfathering approvals under 238.203, 
and signal applications under 49 CFR parts 235 and 236 (block signal 
applications). FRA is providing the flexibility for electronic filing 
of these petitions and applications also with the intent to avoid lost, 
misplaced, delayed, damaged or illegible hardcopy mail. FRA requests 
that all railroad safety waiver and exemption requests, as well as 
block signal applications and special approval applications (including 
new requests, requests for extensions of existing waivers or approvals, 
or withdrawals, along with all supporting documentation), be submitted 
to either FRA's Docket Clerk at the address provided in 49 CFR 
211.1(b)(4) in accordance with the existing requirements of 49 CFR 
211.7 or to the above-referenced email address. FRA is providing for 
the electronic filing of waivers and other requests for regulatory 
relief traditionally filed in hard copy through FRA's Docket Clerk in 
order to increase the efficiency of the process both internally and 
externally. FRA anticipates following this notice with a rulemaking 
modifying the applicable procedural regulations (49 CFR part 211) to 
specifically provide for the electronic filing of the above-identified 
documents. In anticipation of this rulemaking, any interested party may 
submit comments regarding the use of this electronic mailbox for 
submission of railroad safety waiver and exemption requests, block 
signal applications, and special approval applications.
    A copy of this notice, as well as any written communications 
concerning the notice, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the Department of Transportation's 
(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations Facility is open from 9 
a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
    Interested parties may submit written views, data, or comments 
regarding the use of an electronic mailbox as described in this notice. 
All written submissions should be submitted by May 12, 2015.
    All communications concerning this notice should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written 
communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records 
notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy. 
See also http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy 
notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2015.
Ron Hynes,
Director of Technical Oversight.
[FR Doc. 2015-05751 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P