[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62399-62401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26177]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2018-0008-N-11]


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 Requests (ICRs) abstracted below. Before submitting these 
ICRs to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified below.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICRs activities by mail to 
either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory Analysis Division, Federal 
Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W33-497, 
Washington, DC 20590; or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Office of Information Technology, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W34-212, 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-XXXX,'' (the relevant 
OMB control number for each ICR is listed below) and should also 
include the title of the ICR. Alternatively, comments may be faxed to 
(202) 493-6216 or (202) 493-6497, or emailed to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or Ms. Toone at [email protected]. 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, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory 
Analysis Division, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Room W33-497, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-
6292); or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Information Technology, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W34-212, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6132).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its

[[Page 62400]]

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 ICRs 
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 require. 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 summaries below describe the ICRs that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Certification of Glazing Materials.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0525.
    Abstract: The collection of information is set forth under 49 CFR 
part 223, which requires the certification and permanent marking of 
glazing materials by the manufacturer. The manufacturer is also 
responsible for making available test verification data to railroads 
and FRA upon request.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: Railroads/Manufacturers.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

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                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
223.3--Application...............  692 railroads......  400 marked tools     30 minutes.........             200
                                                         (small hammers)
                                                         with instructions.
    --Locomotives, passenger       ...................  ...................  ...................  ..............
     cars, and cabooses built
     after 1945 used only for
     excursion, educational,
     recreational, or private
     transportation purposes that
     must comply with emergency
     window requirements: Marked
     tools with instruction.
223.11--Locomotive placed in       692 railroads......  15 designated        30 seconds.........            .125
 designated service due to a                             locomotives.
 damaged or broken cab window so
 that the window fails to permit
 good visibility.
223.17--Request to manufacturer    5 manufacturers....  10 requests........  15 minutes.........               3
 of glazing certification
 information.
    --Identification/marking of    5 manufacturers....  25,000 marked        480 pieces per hour              52
     each unit of glazing                                pieces of glazing.
     material.
    --Test verification data.....  5 manufacturers....  1 test.............  14 hours...........              14
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    Total Estimated Responses: 25,426.
    Total Estimated Total Annual Burden: 269 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Title: Disqualification Proceedings.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0529.
    Abstract: FRA regulations at 49 CFR part 209, subpart D, explain 
FRA's responsibilities, and the rights and responsibilities of 
railroads and railroad employees, regarding disqualification 
procedures. Specifically, 49 CFR 209.331, enforcement of a 
disqualification order, requires: (a) A railroad employing or formerly 
employing a disqualified individual to disclose the terms and 
conditions of the order to the individual's new or prospective employer 
railroad; (b) a railroad considering hiring an individual in a safety-
sensitive position to inquire from the individual's prior employer 
railroad whether the individual is serving under a disqualification 
order; and (c) a disqualified individual to inform his employer of the 
disqualification order and provide a copy of the order to the employer 
and to inform a prospective employer railroad of the disqualification 
order and provide a copy of the order. Additionally, 49 CFR 209.333(b) 
prohibits a railroad from employing a person subject to a 
disqualification order in any manner inconsistent with the order.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 40,000 railroad employees (safety sensitive)/
741 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

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                                                            Total annual       Average time per    Total annual
           CFR section             Respondent universe       responses             response        burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
209.307--Reply by railroad         40,000 railroad      1 reply............  3 hours............               3
 employee to disqualification       employees.
 charges.
209.309--Informal response by      40,000 railroad      1 response.........  1 hour.............               1
 railroad employee to a notice of   employees.
 proposed disqualification.

[[Page 62401]]

 
209.331--Railroad enforcement of   741 railroads......  1 notification       15 minutes + 15                 .50
 disqualification order: RR                              letter + 1           minutes.
 employing or formerly employing                         informational
 a person serving under a                                letter.
 disqualification order must
 inform other prospective
 employers.
209.331--Person subject to         40,000 railroad      1 disqualification   15 minutes + 15                 .50
 disqualification order must        employees.           letter + 1 copy of   minutes.
 inform his/her employer and                             disqualification
 provide copy to employer within                         order.
 5 days after receipt of such
 order.
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    Total Estimated Responses: 3.
    Total Estimated Total Annual Burden: 5 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Title: Ballast Defects and Conditions-Importance of Identification 
and Repair in Preventing Development of Unsafe Combinations of Track 
Conditions.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0614.
    Respondent Universe: 741 Railroads.

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                                                                                   Average time
      Safety advisory 2015-04        Respondent universe        Total annual       per response    Total annual
                                                                 responses           (minutes)     burden hours
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(1) RR Assessment and Update of     741 Railroads........  100 assessments + 100              60             200
 Engineering Instructions to                                engineering
 provide Guidance to Its Track                              instruction updates.
 Inspectors on How to Identify and
 Repair Ballast Defects and Other
 Ballast Conditions.
(2) RR Training of Its Track        741 Railroads........  10,000 trained track               60          10,000
 Inspectors on Updated Engineering                          inspectors/records.
 Instructions and FRA Safety
 Advisory 2015-04.
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    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Frequency of Submission: One-time; on occasion.
    Total Estimated Responses: 10,200.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 10,200 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    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.

Juan D. Reyes III,
Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2018-26177 Filed 11-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


