[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43001-43003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14106]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2023-0002-N-20]


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 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 5, 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

[[Page 43002]]

posted without change to the docket, including any personal information 
provided. Please refer to the assigned OMB control number (2130-0524) 
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. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (757) 897-9908 or Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (571) 609-1285.

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 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 Communications.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0524.
    Abstract: The railroad communications regulations in 49 CFR part 
220 prescribe the minimum requirements governing wireless 
communications used in rail operations as well as establish the 
prohibitions, restrictions, and requirements that apply to the use of 
personal and railroad-supplied cellular telephones and other electronic 
devices. FRA amended its radio standards and procedures to: promote 
compliance by making the regulations more flexible; require wireless 
communications devices, including radios, for specified classifications 
of railroad operations and roadway workers; and retitle this part to 
reflect its coverage of other means of wireless communications, such as 
cellular telephones and data radio terminals, to convey emergency and 
need-to-know information. The amended regulations established safe, 
uniform procedures covering the use of radio and other wireless 
communications within the railroad industry.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA made no adjustments to the previously 
approved burden hours.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 746 Railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On Occasion.

                                                                    Reporting Burden
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                                                                                                                                            Total cost
            CFR section                  Respondent universe      Total annual responses     Average time per       Total annual burden   equivalent  in
                                                                                                 responses                 hours            U.S. dollar
                                                                  (A)...................  (B)...................  (C = A * B)...........        (D = C *
                                                                                                                                                wage \1\
                                                                                                                                                  rates)
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220.8--Waivers petitions...........  746 railroads..............  2 petition letters....  1 hour................  2 hours...............         $126.14
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220.13--Reporting emergencies......  The requirements for this section are the usual and customary practice as well as the railroad's legal obligation.
                                      Consequently, there is no burden associated with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.21--Railroad operating rules--   The burden for this requirement is included under OMB Control No. 2130-0035 Sec.   217.7 and 2130-0035 Sec.
 radio communications--               218.22.
 recordkeeping.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.23--Publication of radio         The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden
 information.                         associated with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.31--Initiating a radio           The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden
 transmission.                        associated with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.33--Receiving a radio            The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden
 transmission.                        affiliated with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.35--Ending a radio transmission  The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden connected
                                      with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.38--Communication equipment      The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden linked to
 failure.                             these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.47--Emergency radio              The requirements for this section are the usual and customary procedure. Consequently, there is no burden
 transmissions.                       associated with these requirements.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220.61(b)(3)--Transmission of        746 railroads..............  3,800,000 directives..  90 seconds............  95,000 hours..........    5,991,650.00
 mandatory directive.
(b)(5)--Marking of fulfilled or      746 railroads..............  317,000 marks.........  10 seconds............  881 hours.............       55,564.67
 canceled mandatory directives.
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[[Page 43003]]

 
220.302--Operating rules             The burden for this requirement is included under OMB Control No. 2130-0035 Sec.   217.7.
 implementing the requirements of
 this subpart.
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220.313(a)--Railroad written         2 new railroads............  2 amended written       1 hour................  2 hours...............          126.14
 program of instruction and                                        Instruction Programs.
 examination on part 220
 requirements.
220.313(c)--Employee training        746 railroads..............  2,000 records.........  30 seconds............  17 hours..............        1,072.19
 records.
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220.315--Operational Tests and       The burden for this requirement is included under OMB No. 2130-0035 Sec.   217.11 and OMB No. 2130-0576 Sec.
 Inspections.                         238.503.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total..........................  746 railroads..............  4,119,004 responses...  ......................  95,902 hours..........    6,048,539.14
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 4,119,004.
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    \1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2022 Surface 
Transportation Board Full Year Wage A&B data series using the 
employee group 600 (Transportation, Train & Engine) hourly wage rate 
of $36.04. The total burden wage rate (Straight time plus 75%) used 
in the table is $63.07 ($36.04 x 1.75 = $63.07).
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 95,902.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$6,048,539.14.
    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. 2023-14106 Filed 7-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P