[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7628-7629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02892]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA 2016-0002-N-4]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FRA hereby gives notice that it is submitting the following 
information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for Emergency Processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995. FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information 
identified below seven days after publication of this Notice for a 
period of 180 days.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Regulatory Safety Analysis 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, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 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 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. 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.
    Organizations and individuals desiring to submit comments on these 
information collection requirements should send them directly to the 
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, 725 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk 
Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to the Office of 
Management and Budget at the following address: 
[email protected].
    Below is a brief summary of the currently approved ICR that FRA 
will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:
    Title: Bridge Safety Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0586.
    Abstract: On July 15, 2010, FRA published its Bridge Safety 
Standards Final Rule. See 75 FR 41281. The final rule on bridge safety 
standards normalized and established federal requirements for railroad 
bridges. The final rule established minimum requirements to assure the 
structural integrity of railroad bridges and to protect the safe 
operation of trains over those bridges. The final rule required 
railroads/track owners to implement bridge management programs to 
prevent the deterioration of railroad bridges and to reduce the risk of 
human casualties, environmental damage, and disruption to the Nation's 
transportation system that would result from a catastrophic bridge 
failure. Bridge management programs were required to include annual 
inspection of bridges as well as special inspections, which must be 
conducted if natural or accidental events cause conditions that warrant 
such inspections. Lastly, the final rule required railroads/track 
owners to audit bridge management programs and bridge inspections and 
to keep records mandated under 49 CFR part 237. This final rule 
culminated FRA's efforts to develop and promulgate bridge safety 
regulations and fulfilled the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008 
(Pub. L. 110-432, Division A) mandate.
    The information collected is used by FRA to ensure that railroads/
track owners meet Federal standards for bridge safety and comply with 
all the requirements of this regulation. In particular, the collection 
of information is used by FRA to confirm that railroads/track owners 
adopt and implement bridge management programs to properly inspect, 
maintain, modify, and repair all bridges that carry trains over them 
for which they are responsible. Railroads/track owners must conduct 
annual inspections of railroad bridges. Further, railroads/track owners 
must incorporate provisions for internal audit into their bridge 
management program and must conduct internal audits of bridge 
inspection reports. The internal audit information is used by 
railroads/track owners to verify that the inspection provisions of the 
bridge management program are being followed and to continually 
evaluate the effectiveness of their bridge management program and 
bridge inspection activities. FRA uses this information to ensure that 
railroads/track owners implement a safe and effective bridge management 
program and bridge inspection regime.
    On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Fixing 
America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (Pub. L. 114-94). 
Section 11405, ``Bridge Inspection Reports,'' provides a means for a 
State or a political subdivision of a State to obtain a public version 
of a bridge inspection report generated by a railroad for a bridge 
located within their respective jurisdiction. While the FAST Act 
specifies that requests for such reports are to be filed with the 
Secretary of Transportation, the responsibility for fulfilling these 
requests is delegated to FRA. See 49 CFR 1.89.
    FRA is revising its currently approved information collection to 
account for the additional burden that will be incurred by States and 
political subdivisions of States requesting a public version of a 
bridge inspection report generated by a railroad for a bridge located 
within their respective jurisdiction. FRA has developed a new Form 
titled ``Bridge Inspection Report Public Version Request Form'' to 
facilitate such requests by States and their political subdivisions. 
Additionally, FRA is

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revising its currently approved information collection to account for 
the additional burden that will be incurred by railroads to provide the 
public version of a bridge inspection report upon agency request to 
FRA.
    As provided under 49 CFR 1320.13, FRA is requesting emergency 
processing for this new collection of information as specified in the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations. FRA 
cannot reasonably comply with normal clearance procedures since they 
would be reasonably likely to disrupt the collection of information. 
With the recent passage of the FAST Act, FRA expects States and their 
political subdivisions to immediately request a public version of 
bridge inspection reports that affect critical infrastructure within 
their jurisdiction to ensure public safety. Upon receipt of such 
requests, FRA will require railroads to submit to the agency a public 
version of the most recent bridge inspection report. Therefore, FRA is 
requesting OMB approval as soon as possible (i.e., 7 days after 
publication of this Notice) for this collection of information.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.167.
    Affected Public: States/Political Subdivisions of States and 
Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 50 States/State Political Subdivisions and 693 
Railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

                                                Reporting Burden
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                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
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NEW FAST ACT REQUIREMENTS:
    --Form FRA F 6180.167........  50 States/State      75 forms...........  5 minutes..........               6
                                    Political
                                    Subdivision.
    --Railroad Submission to FRA   693 Railroads......  75 reports.........  60 minutes.........              75
     of Bridge Inspection Report--
     Public Version.
237.3--Notifications to FRA of     693 Railroads......  15 notifications...  90 minutes.........            22.5
 Assignment of Bridge
 Responsibility.
    --Signed Statement by          693 Railroads......  15 signed            30 minutes.........             7.5
     Assignee Concerning Bridge                          statements.
     Responsibility.
237.9--Waivers--Petitions........  693 Railroads......  6 petitions........  4 hours............              24
23731/33--Development/Adoption of  693 Railroads......  5 plans............  24 hours...........             120
 Bridge Management Program.
237.57--Designation of Qualified   693 Railroads......  1,000 designations.  30 minutes.........             400
 Individuals.
237.71--Determination of Bridge    693 Railroads......  2,000                8 hours............          16,000
 Load Capacities.                                        determinations.
237.73--Issuance of Instructions   693 Railroads......  2,000 instructions.  2 hours............           4,000
 to Railroad Personnel by Track
 Owner.
237.105--Special Bridge            693 Railroads......  7,500 insp. and      12.50 hours........          93,750
 Inspections and Reports/Records.                        reports/records.
    --Special Underwater           693 Railroads......  50 insp. and         40 hours...........           2,000
     Inspections.                                        Reports/rcds.
237.107 and 237.109--Nationwide    693 Railroads......  15,450 insp. &       4 hours............          61,800
 Annual Bridge Inspections--                             reports.
 Reports.
    --Records....................  693 Railroads......  15,450 records.....  1 hour.............          15,450
    --Report of Deficient          693 Railroads......  50 reports.........  30 minutes.........              25
     Condition on a Bridge.
237.111--Review of Bridge          693 Railroads......  2,000 insp. rpt.     30 minutes.........           1,000
 Inspection Reports by RR Bridge                         reviews.
 Engineers.
    --Prescription of Bridge       693 Railroads......  200 insp. proc.      30 minutes.........             100
     Insp. Procedure                                     modifications.
     Modifications After Review.
237.131--Design of Bridge          693 Railroads......  1,250 designs......  16 hours...........          20,000
 Modifications or Bridge Repairs.
    --Bridge Modification Repair   693 Railroads......  1,250 br. mod.       1.50 hours.........           1,875
     Reviews/Supervisory Efforts.                        repair reviews.
    --Common Standard Designed by  693 Railroads......  50 standards.......  24 hours...........           1,200
     Railroad Bridge Engineer.
237.153--Audits of Inspections...  693 Railroads......  725 insp. audits...  80 hours/24 hours/6           5,534
                                                                              hours.
237.155--Documents and Records:
    --Establishment of RR          693 Railroads......  5 systems..........  80 hours...........             400
     Monitoring and Info.
     Technology Security Systems
     for Electronic Recordkeeping.
    --Employees Trained in System  693 Railroads......  100 employees......  8 hours............             800
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    Total Estimated Responses for New FAST Act Requirements: 150.
    Total Estimated Responses for Entire Information Collection: 
49,271.
    Total Estimated Total Annual Burden for New FAST Act Requirements: 
81 hours.
    Total Estimated Total Annual Burden Entire Information Collection: 
224,689 hours.
    Type of Request: Emergency Clearance to the revision of a currently 
approved information collection.
    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 February 9, 2016.
Corey Hill,
Acting Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-02892 Filed 2-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P