[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64533-64534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23105]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2022-0002-N-16]


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, this notice announces that FRA is forwarding 
the Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. These 
ICRs describe the information collections and their expected burdens. 
On June 16, 2022, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for 
public comment on the ICRs.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 25, 2022.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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 
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 June 16, 2022, FRA 
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on 
the ICRs for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 87 FR 36366. FRA 
received no comments in response to this notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve the proposed collections 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(a); 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 ICRs 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 or other forms of information technology.
    The summaries below describe the ICRs that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Special Notice for Repairs.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0504.
    Abstract: Under 49 CFR part 216, FRA and State inspectors may issue 
a Special Notice for Repairs to notify a railroad in writing of an 
unsafe condition involving a locomotive, car, or track. The railroad 
must notify FRA in writing when the equipment is returned to service or 
the track is restored to a condition permitting operations at speeds 
authorized for a higher class, specifying the repairs completed. FRA 
and State inspectors use this information to remove from service 
freight cars, passenger cars, and locomotives until they can be 
restored to a serviceable condition. They also use this information to 
reduce the maximum authorized speed on a section of track until repairs 
can be made.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.8; FRA F 6180.8A.
    Respondent Universe: 754 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 7.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 3 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $194.

[[Page 64534]]

    Title: Bridge Safety Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0586.\1\
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    \1\ The burden associated with Sec.  214.105(c)(4), formerly 
covered under OMB Control No. 2130-0535, is now combined with the 
burden under OMB Control No. 2130-0586.
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    Abstract: The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST 
Act) (Pub. L. 114-94, Dec. 4, 2015), Section 11405, ``Bridge Inspection 
Reports,'' provides a means for a State or a political subdivision of a 
State to obtain a public version of a bridge inspection report 
generated by a railroad for a bridge located within its respective 
jurisdiction. While the FAST Act specifies that requests for such 
reports are to be filed with the Secretary of Transportation, the 
responsibility for fulfilling these requests is delegated to FRA.\2\ 
FRA developed a form titled ``Bridge Inspection Report Public Version 
Request Form'' (FRA F 6180.167) to facilitate such requests by States 
and their political subdivisions.
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    \2\ 49 CFR 1.89(a).
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    Additionally, the collection of information set forth under 49 CFR 
214.105(c) establishes standards and practices for safety net systems. 
Safety nets and net installations must be drop-tested at the job site 
after initial installation and before being used as a fall-protection 
system, after major repairs, and at 6-month intervals if left at one 
site. If a drop-test is not feasible and is not performed, then the 
railroad or railroad contractor, or a designated certified person, must 
provide written certification the net complies with the safety 
standards under Sec.  214.105. FRA and State inspectors use the 
information to enforce Federal regulations. The information maintained 
at the job site promotes safe bridge worker practices while providing 
flexibility at bridge work job sites.
    Furthermore, the collection of information set forth under 49 CFR 
part 237 normalized and established Federal requirements for railroad 
bridges.\3\ In particular, the collection of information is used by FRA 
to confirm that railroads/track owners adopt and implement bridge 
management programs to properly inspect, maintain, modify, and repair 
all bridges that carry trains for which they are responsible. 
Railroads/track owners must conduct annual inspections of railroad 
bridges, as well as special inspections that must be carried out if 
natural or accidental events cause conditions that warrant such 
inspections. Further, railroads/track owners must incorporate 
provisions for internal audits into their bridge management programs 
and must conduct internal audits of bridge inspection reports. FRA uses 
the information collected to ensure that railroads/track owners meet 
Federal standards for bridge safety and comply with all the 
requirements of part 237.
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    \3\ 75 FR 41281 (July 15, 2010).
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    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (railroads and track owners), States, 
the District of Columbia (DC), and political subdivisions of States.
    Form(s): FRA F 6180.167.
    Respondent Universe: 784 track owners, 50 States and DC, and 200 
political subdivisions of States.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion and annual.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 200,480.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 34,616 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$2,680,686.
    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. 2022-23105 Filed 10-24-22; 8:45 am]
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