[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 150 (Wednesday, August 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46644-46645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19213]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA 2015-0007-N-21]


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 an extension for the following 
currently approved information collection activities. On July 24, 2015, 
FRA received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for its 
Emergency Processing request for the collection of information titled 
Positive Train Control (PTC) Implementation Status Update 
Questionnaire. The information collection activities associated with 
the PTC Questionnaire received a six-month emergency approval from OMB 
and expires on January 31, 2016. FRA seeks a regular clearance 
(extension of the current approval for three additional years) so that 
its personnel can continue to monitor affected railroads implementation 
of Positive Train Control on their mainline systems beyond the 
statutory and regulatory deadline of December 31, 2015. Additionally, 
FRA needs to continue to collect this information for compliance 
purposes and to help inform grant decisions by its Office of Railroad 
Policy and Development. 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 October 5, 2015.

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 17, 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 2130-0612.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6497, 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 17, 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 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 the following: (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

[[Page 46645]]

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 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    Below is a brief summary of the currently approved information 
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: Positive Train Control (PTC) Implementation Status Update 
Questionnaire.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0612.
    Abstract: The statutory and regulatory deadline for Positive Train 
Control (PTC) system implementation is December 31, 2015. Congress and 
FRA are concerned that the railroads will not make the mandated 
deadline. To date, the vast majority of railroads have not submitted, 
in accordance with 49 CFR 236.1009 and 236.1015, a PTC Safety Plan 
(PTCSP) and have not submitted, in accordance with 49 CFR 236.1035, a 
request for testing approval to support a PTCSP, which is necessary to 
achieve PTC System Certification and operate in revenue service. So 
that Congress and FRA may better understand the status of each 
railroad's implementation efforts and be able to monitor affected 
railroads progress on a continuing basis until full implementation is 
achieved, FRA is seeking accurate and up-to-date information under its 
investigative authority pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 20103, 20107, and 20902, 
and 49 CFR 236.1009(h). The railroads' responses will also be used for 
compliance purposes.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Frequency of Submission: Monthly.
    Respondent Universe: 38 Railroads.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                 Respondent      Total annual     Average time
 Positive train control (PTC) implementation      universe        responses       per response     Total annual
                status update                   (railroads)        (forms)         (minutes)       burden hours
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Questionnaire...............................              38              456               10               76
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    Form Number(s): Form FRA F 6180.162.
    Total Estimated Responses: 456.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 76 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.

Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-19213 Filed 8-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P