[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17919-17922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06084]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2023-0002-N-4]


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, 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 
May 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2023-0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to 
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0610) 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: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (571) 609-1285, or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: (757) 897-9908.

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: Risk Reduction Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0610.
    Abstract: In 2020, FRA issued a final rule \1\ that requires each 
Class I freight railroad and each freight railroad with inadequate 
safety performance (ISP) to

[[Page 17920]]

develop and implement a Risk Reduction Program (RRP) to improve the 
safety of its operations. RRP is a comprehensive, system-oriented 
approach to safety that determines a railroad operation's level of risk 
by identifying and analyzing applicable hazards, and develops plans to 
mitigate, if not eliminate, that risk. Each railroad has flexibility to 
tailor an RRP to its specific railroad operations. Each railroad must 
implement its RRP under a written, FRA-approved RRP plan and conduct an 
annual internal assessment of its RRP, with FRA also auditing 
railroads' RRPs.
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    \1\ 85 FR 9262 (Feb. 18, 2020).
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    The information collected under this regulation will be used by 
railroads, and FRA, to improve safety through structured, proactive 
processes that systematically evaluate railroad safety hazards on their 
systems and manage the risks associated with those hazards to help 
reduce the number and rates of railroad accidents/incidents, injuries, 
and fatalities.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA has made multiple adjustments to its 
estimated paperwork burden, resulting in a reduction of 1,131 hours, 
from 61,825 hours in the current inventory to 60,694 hours in the 
requested inventory. The primary reason for the reduction in the 
estimated paperwork burden is the expected decrease in the number of 
responses. Specifically, all Class I freight railroads have already 
submitted their RRP plans, leading to a decrease in the overall PRA 
burden, resulting in no anticipated submissions under certain 
regulatory sections. This reduction in Class I submissions, reduced by 
1,075 hours, significantly contributed to the overall decrease in the 
estimated paperwork burden hours in the requested inventory. FRA has 
uploaded a table on regulations.gov, under Docket No. FRA-2023-0002 
which displays all the burden adjustments.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 7 Class I and 15 ISP railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
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    \2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2021 Surface 
Transportation Board 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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    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                    Total cost
         CFR section              Respondent      Total annual     Average time    Total annual   equivalent  in
                                   universe        responses       per response    burden hours    U.S.  dollar
                                                (A)............  (B)............     (C = A * B)        (D = C *
                                                                                                     wage rates)
                                                                                                             \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.13(c)--Determination of    15 railroads...  5.00 notices...  3 hours........           15.00       $1,168.65
 inadequate safety
 performance (ISP)--
 Qualitative assessment--
 Notice to employees of
 possible ISP identification
 by FRA.
--Employee confidential        125 employees..  5.00 comments..  30 minutes.....            2.50          194.78
 comments to FRA regarding RR
 possible ISP identification.
--RR Documentation to FRA      15 railroads...  5.00 documents.  8 hours........           40.00        3,116.40
 refuting possible ISP
 identification.
--(f) and (g) Petition for     15 railroads...  .67 petition...  16 hours.......           10.72          835.20
 reconsideration of ISP
 determination and petition
 to discontinue compliance
 with this part.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.101--Risk Reduction        The estimated paperwork burden for this regulatory requirement is covered under
 Programs (RRPs)--Class I       Sec.  Sec.   271.103, 271.105, 271.107, 271.109, and 271.111.
 railroads.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.103--RRP hazard            7 railroads....  2.33 HMP         3,360 hours....        7,838.80      609,941.81
 management program (HMP).                       analyses.
271.105--RRP safety            7 railroads....  2.33 SPE         147 hours......          342.51       26,684.95
 performance evaluation                          evaluations.
 (SPE): surveys/evaluations.
                               7 railroads....  2.33             1,060.15 hours.        2,470.15      192,449.39
                                                 assessments.
271.107--Safety Outreach--     7 railroads....  44,333.00        1 hour.........       44,333.00    2,636,040.18
 communications/reports.                         communications.
                               7 railroads....  28.00            30 minutes.....           14.00        1,090.74
                                                 communications.
271.109--Technology analysis   7 railroads....  2.33 reports...  10 hours.......           23.30        1,815.30
 and technology
 implementation plans.
271.111--RRP implementation    7 railroads....  1,400.00         3 minutes......           70.00        5,453.70
 training--programs/training,                    records of
 employees/records.                              trained
                                                 employees.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.113--Involvement of RR     The estimated paperwork burden for this regulatory requirement is covered under
 employees.                     Sec.  Sec.   271.401 and 271.405.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.101(c)--Communication by   7 railroads....  40.00            2 hours........           80.00        6,232.80
 Class I RRs that host                           communications/
 passenger train services                        consultations.
 with RRs subject to FRA
 System Safety Program
 Requirements.
--(d) Identification/          7 railroads....  212.00           1 hour.........          212.00       16,516.92
 communication w/entities                        communications/
 performing/utilizing                            consultations.
 significant safety-related
 services--Class I RRs.
--RR Identification/further    7 railroads....  1,488.00         1 hour.........        1,488.00      115,930.08
 communication with                              communications/
 contractors performing/                         consultations.
 utilizing significant safety
 related services--Class I
 RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.101(a)--Risk Reduction     The estimated paperwork burden for this regulatory requirement is covered under
 Programs (RRPs)--ISP           Sec.  Sec.   271.103, 271.105, 271.107, 271.109, and 271.111.
 railroads.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.103--RRP hazard            15 railroads...  5.00 HMPs......  240 hours......        1,200.00       93,492.00
 management program (HMP).
271.105--RRP safety            15 railroads...  5.00 surveys...  14.73 hours....           73.65        5,738.07
 performance evaluation
 (SPE): surveys/evaluations.
                               15 railroads...  5.00 SPEs......  51.11 hours....          255.55       19,909.90
271.107--Safety Outreach--     15 railroads...  5.00             1 hour.........            5.00          297.30
 communications/reports.                         communications.
                               15 railroads...  5.00 reports...  3 hours........           15.00        1,168.65

[[Page 17921]]

 
271.109--Technology analysis   15 railroads...  5.00 plans.....  5 hours........           25.00        1,947.75
 and technology
 implementation plans.
271.111--RRP implementation    15 railroads...  50.00 records    3 minutes......            2.50          194.78
 training--Records (Note: The                    of trained
 associated burdens related                      employees.
 to training were
 appropriately calculated as
 economic costs of the
 regulatory requirement.).
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.113--Involvement of RR     The estimated paperwork burden for this regulatory requirement is covered under
 employees.                     subparts B and E of part 271.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.101(d)--ISPs--Identificat  15 railroads...  5.00             2 hours........           10.00          779.10
 ion/communication w/entities                    communications/
 performing significant                          consultations.
 safety-related services.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.201/203--Written risk      The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 reduction program plans (RRP
 plans)--Adoption and
 implementation of RRP plans--
 Class I.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Written RRP plans--ISP RRs.  15 railroads...  5.00 RRP plans.  96 hours.......          480.00       37,396.80
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.207--RR Good faith         The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 consultation w/directly
 affected employees--Class I
 RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RR Notification to non-      The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 represented employees of
 consultation meeting--Class
 I RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--RR Good faith consultations/ 15 railroads...  5.00 consults/   20 hours.......          100.00        7,791.00
 notices: ISP RRs.                               notices.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Submission of detailed       The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 consultation statements
 along w/RRP plans by Class I
 RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Submission of detailed       15 railroads...  5.00 consults/   40 hours.......          200.00       15,582.00
 consultation statements                         statements.
 along w/RRP plan by ISPs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Copy of RRP plan--Class I    The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 RRs + ISP RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Consultation Statement to    The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 Service List Individuals--
 Class I RRs + ISP RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Statements from directly     The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 affected employees--Class I
 RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Statements from directly     15 railroads...  12.00            1 hour.........           12.00          934.92
 affected employees--ISP RRs.                    statements.
271.209--Substantive           7 railroads....  1.00 amended     8 hours........            8.00          623.28
 amendments to RRP plan--                        written plan.
 Class I RRs.
--Substantive amendments to    15 railroads...  .67 amended      8 hours........            5.36          417.60
 RRP plan--ISP RRs.                              written plan.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
271.301--Filing of RRP plan w/ The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 FRA--Class I RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Filing of RRP plan w/FRA--   15 railroads...  5.00 filed       2 hours........           10.00          779.10
 ISP RRs.                                        plans.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Class I RR corrected RRP     The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 plan.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--FRA requested Class I RR     The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 consultation with directly
 affected employees regarding
 substantive corrections/
 changes to RRP plan.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--ISP RR corrected RRP plan..  15 railroads...  1.00 RRP plan..  2 hours........            2.00          155.82
--FRA requested ISP RR         15 railroads...  1.00 consult/    1 hour.........            1.00           77.91
 further consultation with                       statement.
 directly affected employees
 regarding substantive
 amendment to RRP plan.
271.303--Amendments            22 railroads     2.00 consults..  1 hour.........            2.00          155.82
 consultation w/directly        (Class I +
 affected employees on          ISP).
 substantive amendments to
 RRP plan--Class I RRs and
 ISP RRs.
--Employee statement to FRA    22 railroads     2.00 employee    30 minutes.....            1.00           77.91
 on RR RRP plan substantive     (Class I +       statements.
 amendments where agreement     ISP).
 could not be reached.
--Filed amended RRP plan--     7 railroads....  1.00 plan......  30 minutes.....             .50           38.96
 Class I RRs.
--Filed amended RRP plan--ISP  15 railroads...  .67 plan.......  30 minutes.....             .34           26.49
 RRs.
--Amended RRP plan             22 railroads     1.00 corrected   2 hours........            2.00          155.82
 disapproved by FRA &           (Class I +       RRP plan.
 requested correction--Class    ISP).
 I RRs and ISPs.
271.307--Retention of RRP      22 railroads     2.00 plan        10 minutes.....             .33           25.71
 plans--Copies of RRP plan/     (Class I +       copies.
 amendments by RR at system/    ISP).
 division headquarters--Class
 I and ISP RRs.
217.401/403--Annual internal   7 railroads....  7.00             120 hours......          840.00       65,444.40
 assessment/improvement                          assessments/
 plans--Class I RRs.                             improvement
                                                 plans.
--Annual internal assessment/  22 railroads...  5.00             32 hours.......          160.00       12,465.60
 improvement plans--ISP RRs.                     assessments/
                                                 improvement
                                                 plans.

[[Page 17922]]

 
271.405--Internal assessment   7 railroads....  7.00 reports...  8 hours........           56.00        4,362.96
 report copy to FRA--Class I
 RRs.
--Internal assessment submit   22 railroads...  5.00 reports...  2 hours........           10.00          779.10
 copy to FRA within 60 days
 of completion--ISP RRs.
271.501/.503--External         22 railroads...  7.33 responses.  4 hours........           29.32        2,284.32
 audits--Response to FRA's
 written notice (Note: The
 associated burdens related
 to audit were appropriately
 calculated as economic costs
 of the regulatory
 requirement.).
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix A--Request by FRA     The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 for additional information/
 documents to determine
 whether railroad has met
 good faith and best effort
 consultation requirements of
 section 271.207.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Further railroad             The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 consultation w/employees
 after determination by FRA
 that railroad did not use
 good faith/best efforts.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Meeting to discuss           The PRA burden associated with this requirement has been completed.
 administrative details of
 consultation processes
 during the time between
 initial meeting and
 applicability date--Class I
 RRs.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--Meeting to discuss           15 railroads...  7.00 meetings/   1 hour.........            7.00          545.37
 administrative details of                       consults.
 consultation processes
 during the time between
 initial meeting and
 applicability date--ISP RRs.
--Notification to non-         15 railroads...  600.00 notices.  15 minutes.....          150.00       11,686.50
 represented employees of
 good faith consultation
 process--ISP RRs.
--Draft RRP plan proposal to   15 railroads...  20.00 proposals/ 2 hours........           40.00        3,116.40
 employees--ISP RRs.                             copies.
--Employee comments on RRP     2,000 employees  60.00 comments.  1 hour.........           60.00        4,674.60
 plan draft proposal.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subpart G--Fatigue Risk        The estimated paperwork burden for this regulatory requirement is covered under
 Management Programs.           OMB Control Number 2130-0633.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix B--Request to FRA     FRA anticipates zero railroad submissions during this 3-year ICR period.
 for electronic submission or
 FRA review of written
 materials.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals \3\...............  22 railroads...  48,374           N/A............          60,694       3,910,597
                                                 responses.
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 48,374.
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    \3\ Totals may not add due to rounding.
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 60,694 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$3,910,597.
    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 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. 2023-06084 Filed 3-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


