[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21822-21823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-09150]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2015-0084]
Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This document provides the public notice that the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) petitioned FRA to extend
relief
[[Page 21823]]
related to SEPTA's participation in FRA's Confidential Close Call
Reporting System (C\3\RS) Program.
DATES: FRA must receive comments on the petition by June 20, 2025. FRA
will consider comments received after that date to the extent
practicable.
ADDRESSES:
Comments: Comments related to this docket may be submitted by going
to https://www.regulations.gov and following the online instructions
for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. All comments received will be posted without change to
https://www.regulations.gov; this includes any personal information.
Please see the Privacy Act heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document for Privacy Act information related to any
submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald O. Simpson, Railroad Safety
Specialist, FRA Safety Partnerships Division, telephone: 314-202-2971,
email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by
letter received on March 13, 2025, SEPTA petitioned FRA for an
extension of a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the
Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 240
(Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers) and part 242
(Qualification and Certification of Conductors). FRA assigned the
petition Docket Number FRA-2015-0084.
Specifically, SEPTA requests an extension of the relief required to
continue its participation in FRA's C\3\RS Program. SEPTA seeks to
continue shielding reporting employees from mandatory punitive
sanctions that would otherwise arise as provided in Sec. Sec.
240.117(e)(1) through (4); 240.305(a)(1)through (4) and (a)(6);
240.307; 242.403(b), (c), (e)(1) through (4), (e)(6) through (11),
(f)(1) and (2); and 242.407. The C\3\RS Program encourages certified
operating crew members to report close calls and protects the employees
and the railroad from discipline or sanctions arising from the
incidents reported per the C\3\RS Implementing Memorandum of
Understanding (IMOU). The IMOU includes the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of SMART-TD.
In support of its request, SEPTA states that it has made many
safety improvements since the waiver was last extended, including
reviewing 183 close call submissions; developing a ``Shop Movement Job
Brief Form,'' which has reduced incidents in shop movements; and
beginning a campaign to ensure equipment has proper inspection
paperwork and testing before leaving initial terminals.
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party
desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
Communications received by June 20, 2025, will be considered by FRA
before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be
considered if practicable.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications
and comments received into any of FRA's dockets by the name of the
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.).
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform
its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any
personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can
be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2025-09150 Filed 5-20-25; 8:45 am]
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