[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 11445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03984]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2020-0016]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
provides the public notice that on January 7, 2020, the Northeast 
Illinois Railroad Corporation (Metra) and the Northern Indiana Commuter 
Transportation District (NICTD) petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions 
of the Federal Railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR 
238.309(b)(3). FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2020-0016.
    Metra and NICTD seek relief from the requirement to clean, repair, 
and test every 1,840 days (5 years) for their ``KB-HL1'' air brake 
system to study the feasibility of clean, repair, and test intervals 
extended beyond 5 years. Specifically, this petition serves as an 
update to a previously approved FRA waiver contained at Docket Number 
FRA-2006-24562, now expired, which allowed a 5-year (1,840 days) clean, 
repair, and test interval, instead of the previous 2-year requirement. 
Due to the increased size of the fleets and the continued high level of 
reliability, performance, and safety of the KB-HL-1 air brake system, 
petitioners request to restart the relief as an age exploration waiver, 
to allow intervals beyond 5 years.
    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 April 13, 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. 2020-03984 Filed 2-26-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P