[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39894-39896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14188]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2022-0002-N-13]


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 6, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2022-0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to 
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0017) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Purnell, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (202) 713-0246, or Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or telephone: (202) 
868-9412.

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: U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0017.
    Abstract: On January 6, 2015, FRA published in the Federal Register 
a final rule that requires railroads that operate one or more trains 
through highway-rail or pathway crossings to submit information to the 
U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory about the crossings 
through which they operate.\1\ These amendments, mandated by section 
204 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, require railroads to 
submit information about previously unreported and new highway-rail and 
pathway crossings to the U.S. DOT National Highway-Rail Crossing 
Inventory, and to periodically update existing crossing data.
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    \1\ This final rule was subsequently amended on June 10, 2016, 
in response to a petition for reconsideration submitted by the 
Association of American Railroads. See 81 FR 37521.
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    In this 60-day notice, FRA made multiple adjustments which 
increased the previously approved burden hours from 8,293 hours to 
8,663 hours. For instance:

[[Page 39895]]

     Under Sec.  234.403(a-c), the burden increased from 34 
hours to 1,509 hours due to changes in the number of responses--from 
1,081 updated records to 30,018 updated records per year. FRA's 
estimate is based on how frequently these updates have been submitted 
to date.
     Under Sec.  234.405(b), the burden decreased from 883 
hours to 17 hours annually due to changes in the number of responses--
from 10,600 responses to 200 responses. FRA's estimate is based on how 
frequently these updates have been submitted to date.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses, States, and the District of Columbia 
(DC).
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.71.
    Respondent Universe: 50 States, DC, and 667 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

                                                                    Reporting Burden
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                                                                                                                       Total annual       Total cost
           CFR section \2\              Respondent universe     Total annual responses   Average time per response     burden hours       equivalent
                                                               (A)....................  (B).........................     (C) = A * B  (D) = C * wage \3\
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234.403(a-c)--Submission of data to   50 States/DC & 667       338 forms..............  30 minutes..................             169             $13,013
 the U.S. DOT Highway-Rail Crossing    railroads.
 Inventory: Completion of inventory
 form.
--GCIS update of designated data      50 States/DC & 667       30,018 updates.........  3 minutes...................           1,509             115,577
 submitted by railroads & states/DC.   railroads.
--Excel lists of submitted data.....  50 States/DC & 667       836 lists..............  15 minutes..................             209              16,093
                                       railroads.
--Changes/corrections to Crossing     50 States/DC & 667       122,520 records........  3 minutes...................           6,126             471,702
 Inventory data submitted via API      railroads.
 computer program.
--Written requests by states/DC &     50 States/DC & 667       5 requests.............  15 minutes..................            1.25                  77
 railroads for FRA Crossing            railroads.
 Inventory Guide.
(d)--Reporting Crossing Inventory     50 States/DC & 667       1 notice...............  60 minutes..................               1                  77
 data by state agencies/DC on behalf   railroads.
 of railroads: Written notices to
 FRA.
(e)(1)--Consolidated reporting by     667 railroads..........  15 notices.............  60 minutes..................              15               1,155
 parent corporation on behalf of its
 subsidiary railroads: Written
 notice to FRA.
(e)(2)--Immediate notification to     667 railroads..........  5 notices..............  60 minutes..................               5                 385
 FRA by parent corporation of any
 changes in the list of subsidiary
 railroads for which it reports.
234.405(a)(1)--Initial submission of  667 railroads..........  300 assigned inventory   5 minutes...................              25               1,925
 previously unreported highway-rail                             members.
 and pathway crossings through which
 they operate by primary operating
 railroads: Providing assigned
 crossing inventory number to each
 railroad that operates one or more
 trains through crossing.
--Primary operating railroad          667 railroads..........  200 provided assigned    5 minutes...................            16.6               1,309
 providing assigned inventory number                            inventory numbers.
 to other (2) railroads operating
 through crossing.
                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
234.405(b)--Submission of crossing    Duplicate estimate removed. The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is included under Sec.   234.403(a-
 data specified in the Inventory       c). Consequently, there is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
 Guide to the Crossing Inventory.
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(c)--Duty of all operating            667 railroads..........  10 notices/............  60 minutes..................              10                 770
 railroads: Notification to FRA of                             notifications..........
 previously unreported crossing
 through which it operates.
(d)--Incomplete submission by state   667 railroads..........  70 certification         2 minutes...................             2.3                 154
 agency/DC: Written certification by                            statements.
 primary operating railroad that
 state/DC has not provided requested
 crossing information.
--Copies of written certification     667 railroads..........  75 certification copies  2 minutes...................             2.5                 231
 statements to other operating
 railroads and responsible state
 agency/DC.
234.407(a)--Submission of initial     667 railroads..........  50 assigned inventory    5 minutes...................             4.2                 308
 data to the Crossing Inventory for                             numbers.
 new Crossings: Providing assigned
 inventory numbers for new highway-
 rail and pathway crossings through
 which they operate by primary
 operating railroads to each
 railroad that operates one or more
 trains through the crossing.
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(b) Each operating railroad must      Duplicate estimate removed. The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is included under Sec.
 submit accurate inventory forms or    234.407(a). Consequently, there is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
 electronic equivalent to the FRA
 crossing inventory for new highway-
 rail & pathway crossings operating
 on separate tracks.
                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
234.409(a)--Submission of periodic    Duplicate estimate removed. The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is included under Sec.   234.403.
 updates to the Crossing Inventory     Consequently, there is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
 by primary operating railroad.
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234.411(a)--Notification/report by    667 railroads..........  400 notices/reports....  15 minutes..................             100               7,700
 railroad to primary operating
 railroad of sale of all or part of
 a highway-rail or pathway on or
 after June 10, 2016.
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[[Page 39896]]

 
(b)--Crossing closure: Submission of  Duplicate estimate removed. The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is included under Sec.   234.403.
 Crossing Inventory form by primary    Consequently, there is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
 operating railroad that closes
 highway-rail and pathway crossing.
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(c)--Primary operating RR submission  667 railroads..........  1,200 forms............  5 minutes...................             100               7,700
 of inventory form for change in
 crossing characteristics.
234.413(a & b)--Recordkeeping--RR     667 railroads..........  350 duplicate copies...  1 minute....................             5.8                 462
 Duplicate copy of each inventory
 form submitted in hard copy to the
 Crossing Inventory.
--Copy of electronic confirmation     667 railroads..........  265,365 copies.........  5 seconds...................           368.6              28,413
 received from FRA after electronic
 submission of crossing data to
 Crossing Inventory.
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--List of locations where a copy of   Duplicate estimate removed. The estimated paperwork burden for these requirements is included under Sec.
 any record required by this Subpart   234.413(a) and Sec.   234.413(b). Consequently, there is no additional burden associated with these requirements.
 may be accessed and copied.
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    Total...........................  50 States/DC & 667       421,758 responses......  N/A.........................           8,663             667,051
                                       railroads.
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\2\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 8,293 hours while the total burden of this notice is 8,663 hours.
\3\ FRA uses the STB's 2020 Full Year Wage A&B Group No. 200, Professional and Administrative, to represent the wage rate for the respondent universe.
  The average hourly wage rate is $44.25. FRA adds an overhead of 75 percent to the hourly wage for a fully loaded hourly wage of $77.44 ($44.25 *
  1.75). FRA rounds the fully loaded hourly wage rate to $74 for purposes of this ICR.

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 421,758.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 8,663 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$667,051.
    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 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. 2022-14188 Filed 7-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P