[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10067-10068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03203]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-35]


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), this notice 
announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and comment. The ICR describes the information collection and 
its expected burden. On December 10, 2020, FRA published a notice 
providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
March 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular ICR by 
selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' 
or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer at (202) 493-6132 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
issue two notices seeking public comment on information collection 
activities before OMB may approve paperwork packages. See 44 U.S.C. 
3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. On December 10, 2020, FRA 
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on 
the ICR for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 85 FR 79559. FRA 
received no comments in response to this 60-day notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve the proposed collection of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. Federal law 
requires OMB to approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 
60 days after the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 
CFR 1320.12(b); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB 
believes the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file 
relevant comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public 
comments before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. 
Therefore, respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB 
within 30 days of publication to best ensure having their full effect.
    Comments are invited on the following ICR regarding: (1) Whether 
the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the information 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 to minimize the burden of information 
collection activities on the public, including the use of automated 
collection techniques

[[Page 10068]]

or other forms of information technology.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Metrics and Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Rail 
Service.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0632.\1\
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    \1\ The correct OMB control number for this collection is 2130-
0632. The number was mistakenly listed incorrectly as 2130-0623 in 
the Federal Register notice published December 10, 2020.
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    Abstract: On October 16, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into 
law the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, Public 
Law 110-432, 122 Stat. 4907 (PRIIA). Section 207 of PRIIA requires FRA 
and Amtrak jointly to develop new or improved metrics and minimum 
standards for measuring the performance and service quality of 
intercity passenger train operations, including cost recovery, on-time 
performance and minutes of delay, ridership, on-board services, 
stations, facilities, equipment, and other services
    Section 207 also calls for consultation with the Surface 
Transportation Board, rail carriers over whose rail lines Amtrak trains 
operate, States, Amtrak employees, and groups representing Amtrak 
passengers, as appropriate.
    Section 207 further provides that the metrics, at a minimum, must 
include: the percentage of avoidable and fully allocated operating 
costs covered by passenger revenues on each route; ridership per train 
mile operated; measures of on-time performance and delays incurred by 
intercity passenger trains on the rail lines of each rail carrier; and, 
for long-distance routes, measures of connectivity with other routes in 
all regions currently receiving Amtrak service and the transportation 
needs of communities and populations that are not well-served by other 
forms of intercity transportation.
    Section 207 also provides that the FRA Administrator must collect 
the necessary data and publish a quarterly report on the performance 
and service quality of intercity passenger train operations, including 
Amtrak's cost recovery, ridership, on-time performance and minutes of 
delay, causes of delay, on-board services, stations, facilities, 
equipment, and other services.
    In connection with the Congressional mandate, FRA's Metrics and 
Minimum Standards for Intercity Passenger Rail Service final rule (49 
CFR part 273) sets forth a number of metrics that must be collected. 85 
FR 72971. On November 23, 2020, FRA published a request for emergency 
processing of a collection of information because FRA could not 
reasonably comply with normal clearance procedures to timely collect 
ridership data metrics and certified schedule metrics as required by 49 
CFR 273.5(b) and (c). 85 FR 74783. This ICR request covers all metrics 
set forth in the final rule, including those covered by the emergency 
clearance.
    Type of Request: Revision to a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Amtrak.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: \2\ 1 (Amtrak).
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    \2\ As noted in the 60-day notice, the respondent universe for 
the required reporting in 49 CFR 273.5(c)(2) is 24 railroads.
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    Frequency of Submission: Varied.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 117.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: \3\ 507 hours.
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    \3\ As also noted in the 60-day notice, the estimates for the 
first year include one-time start up burdens and the annual 
response, burden and total cost equivalent estimates are expected to 
decrease after the first year of this 3-year ICR period.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$66,365.00.
    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 unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.

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

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2021-03203 Filed 2-17-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P