[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 51 (Monday, March 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15020-15022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05272]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0004-N-1]


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 
May 15, 2020.

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 faxed to 202-493-6216 or 202-493-6497, 
or 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: Railroad Communications.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0524.
    Abstract: This collection of information is used by FRA to promote 
safety in rail operations and to ensure compliance by railroads and 
their employees with all the requirements set forth in 49 CFR part 220. 
FRA amended its radio standards and procedures to promote compliance by 
making the regulations more flexible; require wireless communications 
devices, including radios, for specified classifications of railroad 
operations and roadway workers; and retitle this part to reflect its 
coverage of other means of wireless communications such as cellular 
telephones and data radio terminals, to convey emergency and need-to-
know information. The amended rule established safe, uniform procedures 
covering the use of radio and other wireless communications within the 
railroad industry.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 746 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

[[Page 15021]]

    Reporting Burden:

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                                  Respondent      Total annual     Average time    Total annual     Total cost
         CFR section               universe        responses      per responses    burden hours   equivalent \1\
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220.8--Waivers and petitions.  746 railroads..  2 petition       1 hour.........               2            $152
                                                 letters.
220.61(b)--Transmission of     746 railroads..  3,800,000        90 seconds.....          95,000       7,220,000
 mandatory directive.                            directives.
(b)(5)--Marking of fulfilled   746 railroads..  396,000 marks..  10 seconds.....           1,100          83,600
 or canceled mandatory
 directives.
220.313(a)--Railroad written   2 new railroads  2 amended        1 hour.........               2             152
 program of instruction and                      written
 examination on part 220                         instruction
 requirements.                                   programs.
220.313(c)--Employee training  746 railroads..  2,000 records..  30 seconds.....              17           1,292
 records.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total....................  746 railroads..  4,119,004        NA.............          95,902       7,288,552
                                                 responses.
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\1\ The dollar equivalent cost throughout this document 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 a 75-percent
  overhead charge.

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 4,119,004.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 95,902 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$7,288,552.
    Title: Passenger Train Emergency Systems.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0576.
    Abstract: This information collection is due to passenger train 
emergency systems regulations under 49 CFR part 238. The purpose of 
this part is to prevent collisions, derailments, and other occurrences 
involving railroad passenger equipment that cause injury or death to 
railroad employees, railroad passengers, or the general public, and to 
mitigate the consequences of such occurrences to the extent they cannot 
be prevented.
    In its final rule issued on November 29, 2013 (see 78 FR 71785), 
FRA added requirements for emergency passage through vestibule and 
other interior passageway doors and enhanced emergency egress and 
rescue signage requirements. FRA also established requirements for low-
location emergency exit path markings to assist occupants in reaching 
and operating emergency exits, particularly under conditions of limited 
visibility. Moreover, FRA added standards to ensure emergency lighting 
systems are provided in all passenger cars and enhanced requirements 
for the survivability of emergency lighting systems in new passenger 
cars.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (railroads).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 34 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                  Respondent      Total annual     Average time    Total annual     Total cost
         CFR section               universe        responses      per responses    burden hours     equivalent
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238.112--Door emergency        34 railroads...  2,250 markings/  5 minutes......           187.5         $14,250
 egress and rescue access                        signs/
 systems:                                        instructions.
    --Markings, signage,
     instructions.
(e)--Passenger car exterior    34 railroads...  2,250 exterior   5 minutes......           187.5          14,250
 doors intended for emergency                    door markings.
 access by responders marked
 with retro-reflective
 material and instructions
 provided for their use.
(f)(5)--Markings and           34 railroads...  1,500 marked     5 minutes......             125           9,500
 instructions--interior doors/                   panels/windows.
 removable panels or windows.
238.113(d)--Emergency window   34 railroads...  60 window        15 minutes.....              15           1,140
 exits--Markings/and                             markings.
 instructions.
238.114(d)--Rescue access      34 railroads...  1,500 access     5 minutes......             125           9,500
 windows--Markings with retro-                   window
 reflective material on each                     markings.
 exterior car.
238.121(b)--Emergency          34 railroads...  375 marked       5 minutes......            31.3           2,379
 communications--Marking of                      intercom
 each intercom intended for                      locations.
 passenger use on new Tier I
 & Tier II passenger cars.
238.123(e)--Marked emergency   34 railroads...  375 marked       30 minutes.....           187.5          14,250
 roof access locations.                          emergency roof
                                                 access
                                                 locations.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total....................  34 railroads...  8,310 responses  NA.............             859          65,269
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 8,310.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 859 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $65,269.
    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

[[Page 15022]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-05272 Filed 3-13-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P