[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5933-5935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02108]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2022-0002-N-2]


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 
April 4, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2022-0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket,

[[Page 5934]]

including any personal information provided. 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.

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or telephone: (202) 
493-0440.

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 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 to FRA upon request.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (railroads and manufacturers of glazing 
materials).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 704 railroads and 5 manufacturers.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                             Average time  per      Total annual burden     Total cost
          CFR section \1\                Respondent  universe     Total annual responses         response                  hours            equivalent
                                     ...........................  (A)...................  (B)...................  (C) = A * B...........  (D) = C * wage
                                                                                                                                                rate \2\
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223.3(c)--Application--Locomotives,  704 railroads..............  400 marked tools        30 minutes............  200.00 hours..........      $11,978.00
 passenger cars, and cabooses less                                 (small hammers with
 than 50 years old and not used                                    instructions).
 exclusively for excursion,
 educational, recreational, or
 private transportation purposes.
223.11(c)--Requirements for          704 railroads..............  10 renewal waivers....  4 hours...............  40.00 hours...........        4,609.60
 existing locomotives built or
 rebuilt prior to July 1, 1980,
 equipped with certified glazing in
 all locomotive cab windows.
    --(d)(1) Locomotive placed in    704 railroads..............  15 stencilings........  3 minutes.............  .75 hour..............           44.92
     designated service due to a
     damaged or broken cab window--
     Stenciled ``Designated
     Service--DO NOT OCCUPY''.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(d)(2) Locomotives removed      Glazing certification for locomotive replacement windows is done at the time of manufacturing. Consequently, there
     from service until broken or                                  is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
     damaged windows are replaced
     with certified glazing.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
223.13(c)--Requirements for          704 railroads..............  2 renewal waivers.....  4 hours...............  8.00 hours............          921.92
 existing cabooses built or rebuilt
 prior to July 1, 1980, equipped
 with certified glazing in all
 windows.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(d) Cabooses removed from       Glazing certification for caboose replacement windows is done at the time of manufacturing. Consequently, there is
     service until broken or                                        no additional burden associated with this requirement.
     damaged windows are replaced
     with certified glazing.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
223.15(c)--Requirements for          704 railroads..............  2 renewal waivers.....  4 hours...............  8 hours...............             922
 existing passenger cars built or
 rebuilt prior to July 1, 1980,
 equipped with certified glazing in
 all windows plus four emergency
 windows.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(d) Passenger cars removed       Glazing certification for passenger car replacement windows is done at the time of manufacturing. Consequently,
     from service until broken/                                 there is no additional burden associated with this requirement.
     damaged windows are replaced
     with certified glazing.
                                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix A--(b)(16)--Certification   5 manufacturers............  10 certifications.....  30 minutes............  5.00 hours............          387.20
 of glazing materials--
 Manufacturers to certify in
 writing that glazing material
 meets the requirements of this
 section.
    --(c) Identification and         5 manufacturers............  25,000 marked pieces..  480 pieces per hour...  52.08 hours...........        3,119.07
     marking of each unit of
     glazing material.
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[[Page 5935]]

 
        Total......................  704 railroads + 5            25,439 responses......  N/A...................  314 hours.............          21,983
                                      manufacturers.
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 25,439.
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    \1\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 269 hours 
while the total burden of this notice is 314 hours. As part of its 
review of this ICR renewal, FRA determined some of the previous 
estimates were outdated.
    \2\ Throughout this notice, the dollar equivalent cost is 
derived from the Surface Transportation Board's 2020 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: 314 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $21,983.
    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. For example, Sec.  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 the individual's 
employer of the disqualification order, provide a copy of the order to 
the employer, inform a prospective employer railroad of the 
disqualification order, and provide a copy of the order.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 86,000 railroad employees and 754 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                          Total annual        Average time  per     Total annual burden     Total cost
          CFR section \3\                 Respondent universe              responses               response                hours            equivalent
                                    ...............................  (A)..................  (B)..................  (C) = A * B..........  (D) = C * wage
                                                                                                                                                    rate
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209.307(a)--Reply--Within 30 days   86,000 employees...............  12 replies...........  3 hours..............  36.00 hours..........       $2,224.44
 after receipt of the notice of
 proposed disqualification issued
 under Sec.   209.305, the
 respondent shall reply in writing
 to the charges.
    --(b) Reply--Request for an     86,000 employees...............  2 requests...........  30 minutes...........  1.00 hour............           61.79
     extension.
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
209.309(a)-(b)--Informal response        The estimated paperwork burden associated with this regulatory requirement is covered under Sec.   209.307.
 by railroad employee to a notice
 of proposed disqualification.
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(h) Informal response--       86,000 employees...............  4 requests...........  30 minutes...........  2.00 hours...........          123.58
     Request for an extension.
209.331(a)--Enforcement of          754 railroads..................  1 notification letter  30 minutes + 30        1 hour...............           77.44
 disqualification order--A                                            + 1 information        minutes.
 railroad that employs or formerly                                    letter.
 employed an individual serving
 under a disqualification order
 must inform other prospective
 employers.
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(b) Enforcement of               This is a common practice for the railroad industry to do routine personnel checks on individuals whom they are
     disqualification order--                           planning on hiring. Thus, there is no burden associated with this requirement.
     Personnel background check.
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    --(c) Enforcement of            86,000 employees...............  1 disqualification     30 minutes + 30        1 hour...............           61.79
     disqualification order--                                         letter + 1 copy of     minutes.
     Individual subject to                                            disqualification
     disqualification order to                                        letter.
     inform employer and provide
     copy to employer within 5
     days after receipt of such
     order.
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total.....................  86,000 employees + 754           22 responses.........  N/A..................  41.00 hours..........           2,549
                                     railroads.
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 22.
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    \3\ The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 5 hours 
while the total burden of this notice is 41 hours. As part of its 
review of this ICR renewal, FRA determined some of the previous 
estimates were outdated. Additionally, the requirements under 
Sec. Sec.  209.311 through 209.327 are exempted from the PRA under 5 
CFR 1320.4(a)(2). Since these provisions pertain to an 
administrative action or investigation, there is no PRA burden 
associated with these requirements.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 41 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $2,549.
    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,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-02108 Filed 2-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


