[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 71 (Monday, April 13, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 20466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07624]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

49 CFR Part 273

[Docket No. FRA-2019-0069, Notice No. 2]
RIN 2130-AC85


Metrics and Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Rail 
Service

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; announcement of public hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On March 31, 2020, FRA published a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed metrics and minimum standards for 
measuring the performance and service quality of intercity passenger 
train operations. FRA is announcing a public hearing to provide members 
of the public an opportunity to provide oral comments on the proposal. 
The public hearing will be held telephonically, instead of in-person.

DATES: The public hearing will be held on April 30, 2020, from 1:00 
p.m. (EDT) to 4:00 p.m. (EDT). The comment period for the NPRM 
published on March 31, 2020, (85 FR 17835) is open through June 1, 
2020. Written comments in response to views or information provided at 
the public hearing must be received by that date.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held telephonically. If you are 
interested in participating in the public hearing please visit https://railroads.dot.gov/legislation-regulations/regulations-rulemaking/metrics-and-minimum-standards-intercity-passenger. For assistance 
registering for the public hearing, contact Katie List at 
[email protected] or (202) 493-0530.
    Written comments in response to views or information provided at 
the public hearing may be submitted by any of the methods listed in the 
NPRM. See 85 FR 17835.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristin Ferriter, Office of Railroad 
Policy and Development, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-0197, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members of the public are invited to present 
oral statements, and to offer information and views about the NPRM at 
the public hearing. The hearing will be informal and will be conducted 
by a representative FRA designates under FRA's Rules of Practice (49 
CFR 211.25). The hearing will be a non-adversarial proceeding; 
therefore, there will be no cross examination of persons presenting 
statements or offering evidence. An FRA representative will make an 
opening statement outlining the scope of the hearing. After all initial 
statements are completed those persons wishing to make a brief rebuttal 
will be given the opportunity to do so in the same order the initial 
statements were made. FRA will announce additional procedures necessary 
to conduct the hearing, at the beginning of the hearing. The purpose of 
this hearing is to receive oral comments in response to an NPRM for 
metrics and minimum standards for intercity passenger rail service. FRA 
will add a transcript of the discussions to the public docket in this 
proceeding.
    Public Participation Procedures. Any person wishing to make a 
statement at the hearing should notify Katie List by telephone or email 
([email protected]; (202) 493-0530) at least 5 working days before the 
date of the hearing and should submit a copy of the oral statement they 
intend to make at the proceeding (late filers will be accommodated to 
the extent possible). The notification should identify the party the 
person represents, the particular subject(s) the person plans to 
address, and the time requested. The notification should also provide 
the participant's mailing address and other contact information. FRA 
reserves the right to limit participation in the hearing of persons who 
fail to provide such notification. FRA also reserves the right to limit 
the duration of presentations if necessary to afford as many people as 
possible the opportunity to speak.
    For information on services for persons with disabilities, or to 
request special assistance in connection with the hearing, contact 
Kristin Ferriter, by telephone or email, at least 5 working days before 
the date of the hearing by one of the means listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section.

Privacy Act

    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.). 
See http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice 
of www.regulations.gov. Interested parties may also review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. 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 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2020.
Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-07624 Filed 4-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P