[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77337-77338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26423]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-21]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 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 
February 1, 2021.

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

[[Page 77338]]

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: Federal Railroad Administration Alleged Violation and 
Inquiry Form.\1\
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    \1\ FRA is revising the title of OMB Control Number 2130-0590 
(formerly titled ``Alleged Violation Reporting Form'').
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    OMB Control Number: 2130-0590.
    Abstract: The FRA Alleged Violation and Inquiry Form is a response 
to section 307(b) of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which 
requires FRA to ``provide a mechanism for the public to submit written 
reports of potential violations of Federal railroad safety and 
hazardous materials transportation laws, regulations, and orders to the 
Federal Railroad Administration.'' The FRA Alleged Violation and 
Inquiry Form allows the public to submit alleged violations, 
complaints, or inquiries directly to FRA. The form allows FRA to 
collect information necessary to investigate the alleged violation, 
complaint, or inquiry, and to follow up with the submitting party. FRA 
may share the information collected with partnering State departments 
of transportation and law enforcement agencies.
    FRA will use the information collected under the form to identify 
problem areas and take necessary action to prevent potential accidents 
of the type indicated by the information submitted from occurring.
    FRA's proposed revisions to the form include: (1) Adding several 
dropdown menus for form elements (e.g., type, title, preferred method 
of contact, position, category of submission, date, time, city, state, 
and entity involved) so that users can quickly provide complete contact 
and incident information while having to hand-enter less information; 
(2) adding a question requesting the users identify if they are members 
of the public, a railroad employee, or other; and (3) informing users 
that they will receive an automated response from FRA after the form is 
submitted. The revisions are designed to make the existing form easier 
to use and more understandable, and to simplify the collection of 
information. The revised form will ensure that users provide the 
necessary information so that FRA staff can review and respond more 
quickly. The revised form also will facilitate FRA's ability to 
maintain the data collected in a more useful and uniform manner, as the 
new dropdown boxes will assist FRA in receiving more standardized 
responses.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Public.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.151.
    Respondent Universe: Public.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                   Total  annual   Average  time
       CFR section \2\            Respondent         responses     per  response   Total annual     Total cost
                                   universe           (forms)        (minutes)     burden hours   equivalent \3\
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Alleged Violation and         Public............             600               7              70          $1,890
 Inquiry Form (Revised Form
 FRA F 6180.151).
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 600.
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    \2\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 48 hours 
while the total burden of this notice is 70 hours. The increase in 
the burden hours is due to changes made to the form and the expected 
increase in annual responses. Also, totals may not add due to 
rounding.
    \3\ FRA used an hourly rate of $27 for the value of the public's 
time. FRA obtained this data from the Department of Labor, Bureau of 
Labor Statistics.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 70 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $1,890.
    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 a respondent is not required to 
respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does 
not display a currently valid OMB control number.

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

Brett A. Jortland,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-26423 Filed 11-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P