[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 21, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20789-20790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08180]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-42]


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, this notice announces that FRA is forwarding 
the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the information collection and its expected burden. On 
December 30, 2020, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for 
public comment on the ICR.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 21, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find the particular ICR by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Hodan Wells, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Regulatory 
Analysis Division, Federal Railroad Administration, telephone: (202) 
493-0440, email: Hodan.wells@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
issue two notices seeking public comment on information collection 
activities before OMB may approve paperwork packages. See 44 U.S.C. 
3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. On December 30, 2020, FRA 
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on 
the ICR for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 85 FR 86644. FRA 
received no comments related to the proposed collection of information.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve the proposed collection of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. Federal law 
requires OMB to approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 
60 days after the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 
CFR 1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). OMB 
believes the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file 
relevant comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public 
comments before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983 (Aug. 29, 1995). 
Therefore, respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB 
within 30 days of publication to best ensure having their full effect.
    Comments are invited on the following ICR regarding: (1) Whether 
the information collection activities are

[[Page 20790]]

necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether 
the information 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 
to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the 
public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Conductor Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0596.
    Abstract: FRA's conductor certification regulation (49 CFR part 
242) requires railroads to have a formal program for certifying 
conductors. As part of that program, railroads are required to have a 
formal process for training prospective conductors and determining that 
all persons are competent before permitting them to serve as a 
conductor. FRA intended the regulation to ensure that only those 
persons who meet minimum Federal safety standards serve as conductors. 
FRA collects information to ensure that railroads and their employees 
fully comply with all the requirements of part 242, including a 
conductor certification/recertification program, fitness requirements, 
initial and periodic testing, and territorial qualifications.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.\1\
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    \1\ In this 30-day notice, FRA corrects its previous 
characterization of this type of request as an ``extension with 
change (estimates) of a currently approved collection.''
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    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 765 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 222,386.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 49,761 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$4,303,437.
    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 a respondent is not required to 
respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does 
not display a currently valid OMB control number.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2021-08180 Filed 4-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


