[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47536-47537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18242]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2020-0060]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on August 19, 2021, the 
American Public Transportation Association (APTA) petitioned the 
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for an extension of an existing 
waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad 
safety regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 213, 214, 217, 218, 220, 
225, 228, 229, 232, 234, 236, 240, 242, and 243. The relevant Docket 
Number is FRA-2020-0060.
    APTA, on behalf of its member railroads, requests to extend certain 
temporary, conditional relief FRA

[[Page 47537]]

previously granted by letter dated September 18, 2020, related to the 
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. See 
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2020-0060-0005.
    In support of its petition, APTA notes that the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention guidance on social distancing, as well as 
avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces are expected to remain in 
place for the foreseeable future and that commuter railroads are still 
operating with much-reduced workforces as a result of COVID-19 (over 
12,000 commuter rail employees have tested positive and/or self-
quarantined over the last 17 months).
    APTA requests that FRA extend the existing relief previously 
granted in FRA's September 18, 2020, letter for one year.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov (Docket Number FRA-2020-0060).
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. If any interested 
parties desire an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, 
they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment 
period and specify the basis for their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Communications received by September 9, 2021 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable. 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.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), the U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT) solicits comments from the public to 
better inform its processes. 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-18242 Filed 8-24-21; 8:45 am]
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