Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Citation85 FR 44357
Record Number2020-15838
Published date22 July 2020
SectionNotices
CourtFederal Railroad Administration,Transportation Department
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 141 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 44357-44358]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-15838]
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                DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
                Federal Railroad Administration
                [Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-15]
                Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
                Request
                AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. 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 21, 2020.
                ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR to
                Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer at email:
                [email protected] or telephone: (202) 493-0440. Please refer to the
                assigned OMB control number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will
                summarize comments received in response to this notice in a subsequent
                notice and include them in its
                [[Page 44358]]
                information collection submission to OMB for approval.
                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, 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: Reflectorization of Freight Rolling Stock.
                 OMB Control Number: 2130-0566.
                 Abstract: FRA issued this regulation to mandate the
                reflectorization of freight rolling stock (using retroreflective
                material on freight cars and locomotives) to enhance the visibility of
                trains to reduce the number and severity of accidents at highway-rail
                grade crossings where visibility was a contributing factor.\1\ FRA uses
                the information collected to verify that the person responsible for the
                car reporting mark is notified after the required visual inspection
                when the freight equipment has less than 80 percent of the required
                retroreflective sheeting present, undamaged, or unobscured. Further,
                FRA uses the information collected to verify that the required
                locomotive records of retroreflective sheeting defects found after
                inspection are kept in the locomotive cab or in a railroad accessible
                electronic database FRA can access upon request. Finally, FRA uses the
                information collected to confirm that railroads/car owners meet the
                prescribed standards for the inspection and maintenance of the required
                retroreflective material.
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                 \1\ See 70 FR 144, Jan. 3, 2005.
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                 Type of Request: Extension with change (revised estimates) of a
                currently approved collection.
                 Affected Public: Businesses.
                 Form(s): N/A.
                 Respondent Universe: 746 railroads/car owners.
                 Frequency of Submission: On occasion/monthly.
                 Reporting Burden:
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Respondent Total annual Average time Total annual Total cost
                 CFR section universe responses per responses burden hours equivalent \2\
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                224.7--Waivers............... 746 railroads 10 petitions... 8 hours........ 80 $6,160
                 and freight
                 car owners.
                224.15(b)--Special approval 2 manufacturers 2 petitions.... 40 hours....... 80 6,160
                 procedures--Petitions for
                 special approval of
                 alternative standard.
                224.109(a)--Inspection, AAR/300 car 33,380 5 minutes...... 2,782 161,356
                 repair, and replacement-- shops. notifications
                 Railroad freight cars-- of defect and
                 Railroads notification to restriction.
                 person responsible for
                 reporting mark after visual
                 inspection for presence and
                 condition when freight car
                 on either side has less than
                 80% of its retroreflective
                 sheeting not damaged,
                 obscured, or missing.
                --(b) Locomotive record of 746 railroads 2,609 records 5 minutes...... 217 12,586
                 freight retroreflective and freight of defect and
                 sheeting defects found after car owners. restriction.
                 inspection kept in
                 locomotive cab or in
                 railroad accessible
                 electronic database that FRA
                 can access upon request..
                 Total.................... 746 railroads.. 36,001 N/A............ 3,159 180,102
                 responses.
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                 Total Estimated Annual Responses: 36,001.
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                 \2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface
                Transportation Board's Full Year Wage A&B data series using the
                appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-
                percent overhead charge.
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                 Total Estimated Annual Burden: 3,159 hours.
                 Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
                $180,102.
                 Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi),
                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 unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
                 Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520
                Brett A. Jortland,
                Deputy Chief Counsel.
                [FR Doc. 2020-15838 Filed 7-21-20; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
                

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