[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 236 (Monday, December 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58265-58267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26625]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2017-0002-N-25]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified below.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 9, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICR activities by mail to 
either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory Analysis Division, RRS-21, 
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop 
25, Washington, DC 20590; or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 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 2130-0500,'' and 
should also include the title of the ICR. Alternatively, comments may 
be faxed to (202) 493-6216 or (202) 493-6497, or emailed to Mr. Brogan 
at [email protected], or 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, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad 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 Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, 
DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6132).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 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 to allow comment on information 
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8-12. Specifically, FRA invites 
interested parties to comment on the following ICRs regarding: (1) 
Whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to 
properly execute its functions, including whether the activities 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 for FRA to minimize the 
burden of information collection activities on the public, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
    FRA believes that soliciting public comment will promote its 
efforts to reduce the administrative and

[[Page 58266]]

paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information that 
Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons that comments 
received will advance three objectives: (1) Reduce reporting burdens; 
(2) ensure that it organizes information collection requirements in a 
``user-friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and 
(3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    The summaries below describe the ICRs that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Accident/Incident Reporting and Recordkeeping.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0500.
    Abstract: The collection of information is due to the railroad 
accident reporting regulations in 49 CFR part 225 that generally 
require railroads to submit monthly reports summarizing collisions, 
derailments, and certain other accidents/incidents involving damages 
above a periodically revised dollar threshold, as well as certain 
injuries to passengers, employees, and other persons on railroad 
property. Because the reporting requirements and the information needed 
regarding each category of accident/incident are unique, a different 
form is used for each category.
    FRA hereby informs the regulated community of railroads and the 
general public that it is revising the instructions for Form FRA F 
6180.57, Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Accident/Incident Report, to 
capture information concerning post-accident toxicological testing for 
certain human-factor, highway-rail grade crossing accidents and 
incidents in the narrative block of this form. The newly revised 49 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 219.201(a), effective on June 12, 
2017, requires post-accident toxicological testing of railroad 
employees when one or more of five specific requirements are met for 
certain human-factor categories of highway-rail grade crossing 
accidents and incidents. See 81 FR 37894 (June 10, 2016).
    FRA will begin the process to add a block to Form FRA F 6180.57 to 
accommodate this requirement. In the interim, if railroads perform drug 
and alcohol testing on any employee involved in a highway-rail grade 
crossing accident, FRA is requesting the railroad place the drug and 
alcohol coding information in Item No. 54, ``Narrative Description,'' 
of Form FRA F 6180.57.
    In accordance with the requirements of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520) and its implementing regulations (5 CFR 1320.5-12), FRA published 
the two required Federal Register notices for public comment and then 
transmitted to OMB in March 2017 its renewal submission for this 
information collection. This submission increased the agency estimate 
of the annual number of forms completed for Form FRA F 6180.57 by 160 
forms from the previously approved submission to OMB (from 2,000 to 
2,160 forms). FRA estimated two hours as the average burden time to 
complete Form FRA F 6180.57, including the time for the information 
placed in the narrative block of the form. OMB cleared this renewal 
submission on June 2, 2017, approving a total burden of 46,577 hours 
and 109,440 responses and extended the previous clearance for another 
three years. The new expiration date for this information collection is 
now June 30, 2020. FRA now seeks approval for this change to the Form F 
6180.57 instructions while requesting no change to the number of burden 
hours and burden responses.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.39i; 54; 55; 55A; 56; 57; 78; 81; 97; 
98; 99;107; 150.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 744 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
225.6-Consolidated Reporting--     744 railroads......  1 request..........  40 hours...........              40
 Request to FRA by parent
 corporation to treat its
 commonly controlled carriers as
 a single railroad carrier for
 purposes of this part.
    --Written agreement by parent  744 railroads......  1 agreement........  2 hours............               2
     corporation with FRA on
     specific subsidiaries
     included in its railroad
     system.
    --Notification by parent       744 railroads......  1 notification + 1   60 minutes.........               2
     corporation regarding any                           amended agreement.
     change in the subsidiaries
     making up its railroad
     system and amended written
     agreement with FRA.
225.9--Telephonic Reports of       744 railroads......  2,400 phone reports  15 minutes.........             600
 Certain Accidents/Incidents and
 Other Events.
225.11--Reporting of Rail          744 railroads......  1,400 + 500 + 640    2 hours/1 hour/123            4,612
 Equipment Accidents/Incidents--                         forms.               minutes.
 Form FRA F 6180.54.
225.12--Rail Equipment Accident/   744 railroads......  952 forms..........  15 minutes.........             238
 Incident Reports Alleging Human
 Factor as Cause--Form FRA F
 6180.81.
    --Part I Form FRA F 6180.78    744 railroads......  800 notices + 4,010  10 minutes + 3                  334
     (Notices).                                          copies.              minutes.
    --Joint operations...........  744 railroads......  100 requests.......  20 minutes.........              33
    --Late identification........  744 railroads......  20 attachment + 20   15 minutes.........              10
                                                         notices.
    --Employee statement           Railroad employees.  60 statements......  1.5 hours..........              90
     supplementing Railroad
     Accident Report (Part II
     Form FRA F 6180.78).
    --Employee confidential        Railroad employees.  10 letters.........  2 hours............              20
     letter.
225.13--Late Reports--Railroad     744 railroads......  25 late reports....  1 hour.............              25
 discovery of improperly omitted
 Report of Accident/Incident.
    --Railroad late/amended        744 railroads......  25 amended reports   1 hour + 3 minutes.              27
     Report of Accident/Incident                         + 40 copies.
     based on employee statement
     supplementing Railroad
     Accident Report.

[[Page 58267]]

 
225.18--Railroad narrative report  744 railroads......  12 reports.........  30 minutes.........               6
 of possible alcohol/drug
 involvement in accident/incident.
    --Reports required by section  744 railroads......  5 reports..........  30 minutes.........               3
     219.209(b) appended to rail
     equipment accident/incident
     report.
225.19--Rail-Highway Grade         744 railroads......  1,900 + 260 forms..  2 hours/1 hour.....           4,060
 Crossing Accident/Incident
 Report--Form FRA F 6180.57.
    --Death, Injury, or            744 railroads......  9,578 + 454 + 345    60 min./60 min 195          11,1153
     Occupational Illness (Form                          forms.               min..
     FRA F 6180.55a).
225.21--Railroad Injury and        744 railroads......  8,928 forms........  10 minutes.........           1,488
 Illness Summary: Form FRA F
 6180.55.
225.21--Annual Railroad Report of  744 railroads......  744 forms..........  15 minutes.........             186
 Employee Hours and Casualties,
 By State--Form FRA F 6180.56.
225.21/25--Railroad Employee       744 railroads......  13,700 forms.......  60 minutes.........          13,700
 Injury and/or Illness Record--
 Form FRA F 6180.98.
    --Copies of forms to           744 railroads......  411 form copies....  14.................
     employees.
225.21--Initial Rail Equipment     744 railroads......  11,870 forms.......  30 minutes.........           5,935
 Accident/Incident Record--Form
 FRA F 6180.97.
    --Completion of Form FRA F     744 railroads......  1 form.............  30 minutes.........               1
     6180.97 because of rail
     equipment involvement.
225.21--Alternative Record for     744 railroads......  300 forms..........  75 minutes.........             375
 Illnesses Claimed to Be Work
 Related--Form FRA F 6180.107.
225.21--Highway User Statement--   744 railroads......  1,035 letters/forms  50 minutes.........             863
 Railroad cover letter and Form
 FRA F 6180.150 sent out to
 potentially injured travelers
 involved in a highway-rail grade
 crossing accident/incident.
    --Form FRA F 6180.150          950 Injured          725 forms..........  45 minutes.........             544
     completed by highway user      Individuals.
     and sent back to railroad.
225.25(h)--Posting of Monthly      744 railroads......  8,928 lists........  5 minutes..........             744
 Summary.
225.27--Retention of Records.....  744 railroads......  13,700 records.....  2 minutes..........             457
    --Record of Form FRA F         744 railroads......  300 records........  10.................
     6180.107.
    --Record of Monthly Lists....  744 railroads......  8,928 records......  2 minutes..........             298
    --Record of Form FRA F         744 railroads......  11,760 records.....  2 minutes..........             392
     6180.97.
    --Record of Employee Human     744 railroads......  2 minutes..........  58.................
     Factor Attachments.
225.33--Internal Control Plans--   744 railroads......  10 amendment.......  6 hours............              60
 Amendments.
225.35--Access to Records and      15 railroads.......  200 lists..........  20 minutes.........              67
 Reports.
225.37--Optical Media Transfer of  8 railroads........  200 transfers......  3 minutes..........              10
 Reports, Updates, and Amendments.
    --Electronic Submission of     744 railroads......  2,400 submissions..  3 minutes..........             120
     Reports, Updates, and
     Amendments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Responses: 109,440.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 46,577 hours.
    Status: Extension of a currently approved information collection.
    Under 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.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2017-26625 Filed 12-8-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P