[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48738-48739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22650]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2017-0002-N-24]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and comment request.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice 
announces that FRA is forwarding the currently approved Information 
Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe 
the information collections FRA is submitting for renewal and their 
expected burden.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 20, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding these information collections to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk 
Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to OMB at the following 
address: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Safety 
Regulatory Analysis Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 
(Telephone: (202) 493-6292); or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Office of Administration, Office of Information

[[Page 48739]]

Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (Telephone: (202) 493-
6132). (These telephone numbers are not toll free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 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), and 1320.12. On June 30, 2017, FRA 
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on 
the ICRs for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 82 FR 29976. FRA 
received no comments in response to the notice. The summaries below 
describe the ICRs and their expected burden. FRA is submitting these 
renewal requests for clearance by OMB, as the PRA requires.
    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 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 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication. 
5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    Comments are invited on the following ICRs regarding: (1) Whether 
the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of information 
collection activities on the public, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Title: Railroad Operating Rules.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0035.
    Abstract: Title 49 CFR 217 requires Class I and Class II railroads 
to file with FRA copies of their operating rules, timetables, timetable 
special instructions, and subsequent amendments (49 CFR 217.7(a) and 
(b)), while Class III railroads are required to retain copies of these 
documents at their systems headquarters (49 CFR 217.7(c)). Also, 49 CFR 
220.21(b) requires railroads to retain one copy of their current 
operating rules with respect to radio communications at a specified 
location. These railroads are also required to retain one copy of each 
subsequent amendment thereto. These documents must be made available to 
FRA upon request. FRA uses the information collected to determine the 
railroads' rules and practices with respect to train operations and 
instructions provided by the railroads to their operating employees.
    Type of Request: Extension with change of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 188,591,125.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 4,797,590 hours.
    Title: Track Safety Standards; Concrete Crossties.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0592.
    Abstract: On April 1, 2011, FRA amended 49 CFR 213 (Track Safety 
Standards) to ensure safe operations over track constructed with 
concrete crossties. FRA issued specific requirements for effective 
concrete crossties, rail fastening systems connected to concrete 
crossties, and automated inspections of track constructed with concrete 
crossties. FRA uses the information collected under 49 CFR 213.234 to 
ensure that automated track inspections of track constructed with 
concrete crossties are carried out as specified in this section to 
supplement visual inspections by Class I and Class II railroads, 
intercity passenger railroads, and commuter railroads or small 
governmental jurisdictions that serve populations greater than 50,000.
    Type of Request: Extension with change of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 2,318.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 4,875 hours.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 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.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2017-22650 Filed 10-18-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P