[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 6 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 1193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00125]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2008-0045]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
provides the public notice that on October 11, 2019, the Long Island 
Rail Road (LIRR) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal 
railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 222, Use of 
Locomotive Horns at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings. FRA assigned 
the petition Docket Number FRA-2008-0045.
    LIRR requested to extend its waiver of the requirement in Sec.  
222.21(a), which requires that a railroad sound its locomotive horn in 
a specific manner (two long, one short, and one long blast) as it 
approaches and enters public highway-rail grade crossings. 
Specifically, LIRR requested that FRA continue to allow it to sound one 
short blast when departing from 22 train stations identified in LIRR's 
initial February 6, 2008 waiver request (FRA-2008-0045-0001). The 
original waiver granted by FRA included 23 stations; however, one of 
those stations (Little Neck) has since been included in a designated 
quiet zone, and therefore is not part of this extension request. All of 
these 22 stations are located in close proximity to public highway-rail 
grade crossings.
    LIRR noted in its initial request, as well as in its first 
extension request on October 16, 2013, that the waiver was in the 
public interest and was consistent with railroad safety. As there have 
been no materially changed circumstances since the waiver commenced, 
LIRR now requests that the waiver be extended.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Ave. 
SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations Facility is 
open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
Holidays.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested parties 
desire an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they 
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and 
specify the basis for their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by February 24, 2020 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable. Anyone can search the electronic 
form of any written communications and comments received into any of 
our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its processes. DOT posts 
these comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-00125 Filed 1-8-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P