[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 137 (Thursday, July 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43298-43299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15330]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-14]


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 Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified in the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 14, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR to 
Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: 
[email protected] or telephone: (202) 493-0440. 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.

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 ICR 
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 summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Railroad Safety Appliance Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0594.
    Abstract: The information collection associated with 49 CFR part 
231 is used by FRA to promote and enhance the safe placement and 
securement of safety appliances on modern rail equipment by 
establishing a process for the review and approval of existing industry 
standards. In 2011, FRA amended the regulations related to safety 
appliance arrangements by permitting railroad industry representatives 
to submit requests for the approval of existing industry standards 
relating to the safety appliance arrangements on newly constructed 
railroad cars, locomotives, tenders, or other rail vehicles in lieu of 
the specific provisions contained in part 231.
    Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: Railroads/railroad industry representatives/
rail labor unions/general public.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

[[Page 43299]]



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                                                                   Average time
         CFR section              Respondent       Total annual   per  responses   Total annual     Total cost
                                   universe         responses         (hours)      burden hours   equivalent \1\
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231.33(b)--Procedure for       Association of    1 petition.....              16              16          $1,232
 special approval of existing   American
 industry safety appliance      Railroads (AAR)
 standards--drafting and        (industry rep.).
 filing of petitions.
    --(b)(6) Affirmative       AAR (industry     1 affirmation                 1               1              77
     statement by petitioner    rep.).            statement.
     that a petition copy has
     been served on rep. of
     employees responsible
     for equipment's
     operation/inspection/
     testing/maintenance.
    --(f)(3)(iii) Disposition  AAR (industry     1 petition or                 2               2             154
     of petitions: petition     rep.).            additional
     returned by FRA                              document.
     requesting additional
     information.
231.35(a)-Procedure for        AAR (industry     1 petition for               16              16           1,232
 modification of an approved    rep.).            modification.
 industry safety appliance
 standard for new car
 construction--drafting and
 filing of petitions.
    --Affirmative statement    AAR (industry     1 affirmation                 1               1              77
     by petitioner that a       rep.).            statement.
     petition copy has been
     served on rep. of
     employees responsible
     for equipment's
     operation/inspection/
     testing/maintenance.
    --(b)(2)(iii) Statement    5 rail labor      1 statement of                1               1              77
     of interest in reviewing   unions/general    interest.
     special approval filed     public.
     with FRA.
    --(e) FRA review of        AAR (industry     1 additional                  1               1              77
     petition for               rep.).            comment.
     modification; agency
     objection and AAR
     response.
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        Total................  N/A.............  7 responses....             N/A              38           2,926
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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 a 75-percent overhead charge.

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 7.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 38 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $2,926.
    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,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-15330 Filed 7-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P