[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 221 (Monday, November 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73128-73129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25168]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2018-0025 (Notice No. 2020-09)]


Hazardous Materials: Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA 
invites comments on an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control 
number pertaining to hazardous materials transportation. This notice 
follows the publication of a PHMSA final rule titled ``Hazardous 
Materials: Liquefied Natural Gas by Rail'' [HM-264, 85 FR 44994] 
authorizing the transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail. 
Following publication of this notice, PHMSA intends to request a 
renewal with change of currently approved OMB control number 2137-0612, 
``Hazardous Materials Security Plans.''

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 16, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    We invite comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed information collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Andrews or Shelby Geller, 
Standards and Rulemaking Division, (202) 366-8553, Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 24, 2020, PHMSA, in coordination 
with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), published a final rule 
titled ``Hazardous Materials: Liquefied Natural Gas by Rail'' [HM-264, 
85 FR 44994], to allow for the bulk transport of ``Methane, 
refrigerated liquid,'' commonly known as liquefied natural gas (LNG), 
in rail tank cars. In this final rule, PHMSA amended the Hazardous 
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 
171-180) to require any rail carrier transporting a tank car quantity 
of UN1972 (Methane, refrigerated liquid (cryogenic liquid) or Natural 
gas, refrigerated liquid (cryogenic liquid)) to comply with the 
additional safety and security planning requirements for transportation 
by rail. PHMSA currently accounts for the burden associated with safety 
and security planning requirements in Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) Control Number 2137-0612, ``Hazardous Materials Security Plans.''
    OMB regulations require PHMSA to provide interested members of the 
public and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information 
collection and recordkeeping requests. 5 CFR 1320.8d. Under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 96-511), no person is required 
to respond to an information collection unless it has been approved by 
OMB and displays a valid OMB control number. As the HM-264 final rule 
contains revisions that

[[Page 73129]]

were not proposed in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) [October 
24, 2019; 84 FR 56964], PHMSA published a 60-day notice [85 FR 46220] 
and is subsequently publishing this 30-day notice to provide an 
opportunity for public comment on the estimated increase in burden. The 
estimated increase in burden hours is reflected in ``Section VI.G. 
Paperwork Reduction Act'' of the preamble to the final rule, with a 
minor adjustment due to a rounding error.
    As mentioned, on July 31, 2020, PHMSA published a 60-day notice to 
request comments on the revision to OMB Control Number 2137-0612. PHMSA 
received four sets of comments to the 60-day notice. None of these 
comments were specifically related to the change in the information 
collection burden. Therefore, PHMSA is revising OMB Control Number 
2137-0612 as follows:

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                                                            Increase in     Increase in                     Increase in                     Increase in
                                                           total number    total number    Burden hours    total burden     Salary cost    total salary
                                                           of railroads      of routes       per route         hours         per hour          cost
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Class I Railroads.......................................               0               2              80             160          $60.83          $9,733
Class II Railroads......................................               0               1              80              80           60.83           4,866
Class III Railroads.....................................               0               1              40              40           60.83           2,433
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Increase in Primary Route Analysis............  ..............               4  ..............             280  ..............          17,032
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                                                            Increase in     Increase in                     Increase in                     Increase in
                                                           total number    total number    Burden hours    total burden     Salary cost    total salary
                                                           of railroads      of routes       per route         hours         per hour          cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class I Railroads.......................................               0               2             120             240          $60.83         $14,599
Class II Railroads......................................               0               1             120             120           60.83           7,300
Class III Railroads.....................................               0               1              40              40           60.83           2,433
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Increase in Alternate Route Analysis..........  ..............               4  ..............             400  ..............          24,332
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    Annual Increase in Number of Respondents: 0.
    Annual Increase in Number of Responses: 8.
    Annual Increase in Burden Hours: 680.
    Annual Increase in Salary Costs: $41,364.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 9, 2020, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
William A. Quade,
Deputy Associate Administrator of Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-25168 Filed 11-13-20; 8:45 am]
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