
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30112-30113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12578]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA 2015-0007-N-13]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its 
implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
hereby announces that it is seeking an extension of the following 
currently approved information collection activities. On April 27, 
2015, FRA published in the Federal Register its Emergency Order No. 30 
titled Emergency Order Establishing a Maximum Operating Speed of 40 mph 
in High-Threat Urban Areas for Certain Trains Transporting Large 
Quantities of Class 3 Flammable Liquids. See 80 FR 23321. The 
information collection activities associated with the Joint Safety 
Advisory received a six-month emergency approval from OMB on April 30, 
2015. FRA seeks a regular clearance (extension of the current approval 
for one year) so that it can continue to receive and evaluate special 
petitions of approval from railroads requesting relief from this 
Emergency Order. In these petition requests, railroads must state their 
proposed alternative action that will provide at least an equivalent 
level of safety to that provided by this Emergency Order. Before 
submitting these information collection requirements for clearance by 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public 
comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than July 27, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 
Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 
20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, 
Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 
35, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge 
receipt of their respective comments must include a self-addressed 
stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0609.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6497, or via email to Mr. Brogan at 
Robert.Brogan@dot.gov, or to Ms. Toone at Kim.Toone@dot.gov. 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 information 
collection submission to OMB for approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning 
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6292) or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information 
Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-
6132). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, sec. 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised at 
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 
for comment on information collection activities before seeking 
approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA 
invites interested respondents to comment on the following summary of 
proposed information collection activities regarding: (i) Whether the 
information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the activities will have 
practical utility; (ii) 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; (iii) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of 
information collection activities on the public by automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(I)-(iv); 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1)(I)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will 
promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens 
associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal 
regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will 
advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure 
that it organizes information collection requirements in a ``user 
friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and (iii) 
accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    Below is a brief summary of the currently approved information

[[Page 30113]]

collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: FRA Emergency Order No. 30, Emergency Order Establishing a 
Maximum Operating Speed Operating Speed of 40 mph in High-Threat Urban 
Areas for Certain Trains Transporting Large Quantities of Class 3 
Flammable Liquids.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0609.
    Abstract: FRA is issuing Emergency Order No. 30 (E.O. or Order) to 
require that trains transporting large amounts of Class 3 flammable 
liquid through certain highly populated areas adhere to a maximum 
authorized operating speed limit. FRA has determined that public safety 
compels issuance of the Order. The Order is necessary due to the recent 
occurrence of railroad accidents involving trains transporting 
petroleum crude oil and ethanol and the increasing reliance on 
railroads to transport voluminous amounts of those hazardous materials 
in recent years. Under the E.O., an affected train is one that 
contains: (1) 20 or more loaded tank cars in a continuous block, or 35 
or more loaded tank cars, of Class 3 flammable liquid; and (2) at least 
one DOT Specification 111 (DOT-111) tank car (including those built in 
accordance with Association of American Railroads (AAR) Casualty 
Prevention Circular 1232 (CPC-1232)) loaded with a Class 3 flammable 
liquid. Affected trains must not exceed 40 miles per hour (mph) in 
high-threat urban areas (HTUAs) as defined in 49 CFR 1580.3. This Order 
takes effect immediately.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Frequency of Submission: One-time; on occasion.
    Respondent Universe: 70 Railroads.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                      Respondent         Total annual      Average time  per     Total annual
  Emergency order item No. 30          universe            responses           response          burden hours
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(1) Petitions for Special        70 Railroads.......  25 Petitions......  40 hours..........  1,000 hours
 Approval to Take Actions Not
 in Accordance with This Order.
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    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Total Estimated Responses: 25.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 1,000 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 
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.

Erin McCartney,
Acting Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-12578 Filed 5-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


