[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52588-52589]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21454]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2019-0004-N-17]


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 Requests (ICRs) abstracted below. Before submitting these 
ICRs 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 
December 2, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICRs activities by mail to 
either: Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory Analysis Division, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590; or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Information Technology, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, 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-XXXX,'' (the relevant OMB control number for each ICR is 
listed below) and should also include the title of the ICR. 
Alternatively, comments may be emailed to Ms. Wells 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: Ms. Hodan Wells, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory 
Analysis Division, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-0440) or Ms. Kim 
Toone, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Information 
Technology, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
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 through 1320.12. 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 may reduce the 
administrative and 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) organize 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: Grade Crossing Signal System Safety Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0534.
    Abstract: FRA believes that highway-rail grade crossing (grade 
crossing) accidents resulting from warning system failures can be 
reduced. Accordingly, FRA's regulations require railroads to take 
specific responses in the event of

[[Page 52589]]

an activation failure (when a grade crossing warning system fails to 
indicate the approach of a train at least 20 seconds prior to the 
train's arrival at the crossing or to indicate the presence of a train 
occupying the crossing). Specifically, railroads must report to FRA 
every impact between on-track railroad equipment and an automobile, 
bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, farm vehicle, or pedestrian at a 
highway-rail grade crossing involving a crossing warning system 
activation failure. Notification must be provided to the National 
Response Center within 24 hours of occurrence at the stipulated toll-
free telephone number. Additionally, railroads must report to FRA 
within 15 days each activation failure of a highway-rail grade warning 
system. Form FRA F 6180.83, ``Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning 
System Report,'' must be used for this purpose and completed using the 
instructions printed on the form. With this information, FRA can 
identify the causes of activation failures and investigate them to 
determine whether periodic maintenance, inspection, and testing 
standards are effective.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (railroads).
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.83.
    Respondent Universe: 746 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion/monthly.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                     Average time  per     Total annual     Total cost
           CFR section                  Respondent universe           Total annual responses             responses         burden hours   equivalent \1\
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234.7--Accidents involving grade   746 railroads...............  2 phone calls..................  2 minutes.............              .1              $7
 crossing signal failure--
 Telephone Notification.
234.9--Grade crossing signal       746 railroads...............  250 reports....................  10 minutes............              42           2,856
 system failure reports--Form
 6180.83.
234.105/106/107--Activation        746 railroads...............  30,000 notifications...........  5 minutes.............           2,500         170,000
 failure/partial activation/false
 activation--Notification to
 train crew and law enforcement
 due to credible report of
 warning system malfunction.
234.109--Recordkeeping...........  746 railroads...............  30,000 records.................  5 minutes.............           2,500         170,000
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    Total........................  746 railroads...............  60,252 responses...............  N/A...................           5,042         342,863
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 60,252.
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    \1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface 
Transportation Board's Full Year Wage A&B data series using the 
appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes 75-percent 
overhead charges.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 5,042 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$342,863.
    Title: Alleged Violation Reporting Form.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0590.
    Abstract: The Alleged Violation Reporting Form is a response to 
section 307(b) of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 which 
requires FRA to ``provide a mechanism for the public to submit written 
reports of potential violations of Federal railroad safety and 
hazardous materials transportation laws, regulations, and orders to the 
Federal Railroad Administration.'' The Alleged Violation Reporting Form 
allows the general public to submit alleged violations directly to FRA. 
The form allows FRA to collect information necessary to investigate the 
alleged violation and to follow up with the submitting party. FRA may 
share the information collected with FRA employees, State DOT partners, 
and law enforcement agencies.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: General public.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.151.
    Respondent Universe: 1,000 individuals.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                     Average time per      Total annual     Total cost
           CFR section                  Respondent universe           Total annual responses             responses         burden hours   equivalent \2\
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Alleged Violation Reporting Form   1,000 individuals...........  570 forms......................  5 minutes.............              48          $1,296
 (Form FRA F 6180.151).
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 570.
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    \2\ FRA used an hourly rate of $27 for the value of the public's 
time. FRA obtained this data from the Department of Labor, Bureau of 
Labor Statistics.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 48 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $1,296.
    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 Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2019-21454 Filed 10-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P