[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3771-3772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01046]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2023-0002-N-2]


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 will seek 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 
March 21, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2023-0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to 
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0537) 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: 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 1320.8-1320.12. 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 statutes and 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: Railroad Police Officers.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0537.
    Abstract: Title 49 CFR part 207 requires railroads to notify States 
of all designated police officers who perform duties in their 
respective jurisdictions who were commissioned as police officers by 
another State or States. This is necessary to verify proper police 
authority.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA made multiple adjustments which 
increased the previously approved burden hours from 11 hours to 18 
hours. For instance:

[[Page 3772]]

     Under Sec. Sec.  207.4(a), 207.4(b), and 207.6, the 
combined burden increased from 11 hours to 15.84 hours because of an 
increase in number of responses--from 100 to 150 updated notices and 
records per year. FRA's estimate is based on the anticipated increase 
in law enforcement in the railroad industry.
     FRA also added a new burden under Sec.  207.4(b) to 
capture railroads' responses to FRA's inquiries regarding program 
review of the notification process.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (revised estimates) of a 
currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 784 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                                                           Total annual
          CFR section                 Respondent universe         Total annual responses        Average time per     Total annual burden    dollar cost
                                                                                                    response                hours           equivalent
                                                               (A).........................  (B)..................  (C) = A * B.........       (D) = C *
                                                                                                                                          wage rates \1\
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207.4(a)--RR Notice to State     784 railroads...............  50 written notices..........  15 minutes...........  12.50 hours.........         $973.88
 Officials--Written notice of
 RR police officer's commission
 to each State in which the RR
 police officer shall protect
 the railroad's property,
 personnel, passengers, and
 cargo.
207.4(b)--RR copy of written     784 railroads...............  50 records..................  2 minutes............  1.67 hours..........          130.11
 notices to State officials.
--RR copy of written notices to  784 railroads...............  50 verifications............  2 minutes............  1.67 hours..........          130.11
 State officials--RR's email
 verification in response to
 FRA's inquiry for program
 review.
207.6--Transfers--Application    784 railroads...............  50 records..................  2 minutes............  1.67 hours..........          130.11
 by RR police officers for new
 State certification/commission
 when transferring primary
 employment or residence from
 one State to another.
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    Total \2\..................  784 railroads...............  200 responses...............  N/A..................  18 hours............           1,364
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\1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2021 Surface Transportation Bureau's Full Year Wage A&B data series using the appropriate employee
  group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-percent overhead charge. For Professional/Administrative staff, this cost amounts to $77.91 per hour.
\2\ Totals may not add due to rounding.

    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 200.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 18 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $1,364.
    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. 2023-01046 Filed 1-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P