[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 211 (Thursday, November 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75368-75369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24200]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2023-0002-N-13]


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) summarized 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 
January 2, 2024.

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 (2130-0621) in any correspondence 
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in a subsequent 30-day 
notice and include them in its information collection submission to 
OMB.

[[Page 75369]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (757) 897-9908.

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, 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: Workforce Development Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0621.
    Abstract: FRA has statutory responsibility to ensure the safety of 
railroad operations under 49 U.S.C. 20103. To conduct safe railroad 
operations, the workforce must have the requisite knowledge and skills 
to operate equipment and utilize technologies. FRA therefore seeks to 
promote workforce development policies and standards to ensure that the 
workforce has the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct safe 
railroad operations. Due to an increasingly dynamic and maturing 
workforce, combined with continual changes in knowledge and skills 
required to use new technologies, there is an increasing risk of not 
having the necessary talent pools to fill critical railroad operational 
positions. FRA uses this information collection to survey a select 
group of railroad industry personnel to gain insight into the current 
workforce development strategies.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA adjusted the respondent universe from 
847 to 967 to reflect the current number of passenger railroads, Class 
I Freight, and short line railroads, labor unions, railroads 
Associations, and railroad learning institutions. Additionally, FRA 
adjusted the estimated total annual burden hours from 89 hours to 107 
hours and increased the estimated total annual responses from 213 to 
258. This increase is a result of expanded outreach and engagement to 
obtain a more robust view of the industry.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Class I freight and passenger railroads, short 
line and regional railroads, labor unions, railroad associations, 
academia, and specialty experts.
    Form(s): FRA F 240.
    Respondent Universe: 967.
    Frequency of Submission: One-time.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                  Average time per                         Total cost
     Workforce development professionals            Respondent universe          Total annual        responses         Total annual    equivalent in U.S
                                                                                  responses          (minutes)         burden hours          dollar
                                                                                            (A)                (B)        (C = A * B)      (D = C * wage
                                                                                                                                              rates) \1\
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Passenger Railroads.........................  34 railroads..................                 14                 25               5.83            $267.07
Class 1 Freight Railroads...................  6 railroads...................                 50                 25              20.83             954.22
Short Line & Regional Railroads.............  752 railroads.................                150                 25              62.50           2,863.13
Labor Unions (with specific focus on          45 labor unions...............                 12                 25               5.00             229.05
 workforce membership and railroad programs).
Associations (with focus on railroad          30 railroad associations......                 12                 25               5.00             229.05
 workforce membership and the rail industry).
Academia (Learning institutions with          100 learning institutions.....                 20                 25               8.33             381.60
 dedicated curriculum and training programs
 for railroad industry).
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    Total \2\...............................  967...........................                258                N/A                107              4,924
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 258.
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    \1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Department of 
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Employment 
Statistics (OES), May 22, Management Analyst 13-1111 estimated 
median hourly wage of 45.81. The wage rate used in the table is 
45.81.
    \2\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 107.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $4,924.
    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.

Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Acting Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2023-24200 Filed 11-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P