Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

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Published

July 5, 2022

Issuing agencies

Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration

Abstract

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (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 in the ICRs.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 127 (Tuesday, July 5, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39896-39898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14244]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2022-0002-N-12]

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 (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 in the ICRs.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
September 6, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICRs
should be submitted on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2022-0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to
the assigned OMB control number 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. Hodan Wells, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#076f686366692970626b6b744763687329606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="432b2c27222d6d34262f2f3003272c376d242c35">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (202) 868-9412.

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 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 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: Filing of Dedicated Cars.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0502.
Abstract: Title 49 CFR part 215 contains freight car safety
standards, including conditions for freight cars in dedicated service.
``Dedicated service'' means the exclusive assignment of railroad cars
to the transportation of freight between specified points under

[[Page 39897]]

the conditions listed in 49 CFR 215.5(d), including stenciling, or
otherwise displaying, in clear legible letters on each side of the car
body, the words ``Dedicated Service.'' The railroad must notify FRA in
writing that the cars are to be operated in dedicated service.
In this 60-day notice, FRA made no adjustments to the previously
approved burden hours.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 754 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:
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\1\ The dollar equivalent cost throughout this notice is derived
from the Surface Transportation Board's 2020 Full Year Wage A&B data
series for railroad workers.

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Total cost
Respondent Total annual Average time Total annual equivalent in
Section universe responses per responses burden hours U.S. dollar
\1\
(A)............ (B)............ (C = A * B) (D = C * wage
rates)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
215.5(d)(6)--Dedicated 754 railroads.. 4 notifications 1 hour......... 4 310
Service--Notification to FRA.
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 4.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 4 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $310.
Title: Remotely Controlled Switch Operations.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0516.
Abstract: Sections 49 CFR 218.30 and 218.77 require that remotely
controlled switches be properly lined to protect workers as they
inspect or service rolling equipment on track or occupy camp cars.
These sections require the operators of the remotely controlled switch
to remove the locking device only once they have been informed by the
person in charge of the workers that it is safe to do so. Additionally,
these operators are required to maintain a record of each protection
request for 15 days. Operators of remotely controlled switches use the
information as a record documenting protection of workers or camp cars.
This record also serves as a valuable resource for railroad supervisors
and FRA and State inspectors monitoring regulatory compliance.
In this 60-day notice, FRA decreased the estimated paperwork burden
under Sec. 218.30 by 1,209 hours. The decreased burden reflects the
reduction in number of work events in the railroad industry.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 53 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:

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Total cost
Section Respondent Total annual Average time Total annual equivalent in
universe responses per responses burden hours U.S. dollar
(A)............ (B)............ (C = A * B) (D = C * wage
rates)
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218.30--Blue signal 53 railroads... 1,837,775 45 seconds..... 22,972 1,375,793
protection of workmen. notifications.
218.77--Protection of 1 railroad..... 150 45 seconds..... 2 119
occupied camp cars. notifications.
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Total.................... 53 railroads... 1,837,925 N/A............ 22,974 1,375,912
responses.
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 1,837,925.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 22,974 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$1,375,912.
Title: Bad Order, Home Shop Card, and Stenciling Reporting Mark.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0519.
Abstract: Under 49 CFR part 215, railroads are required to inspect
freight cars placed in service and take remedial action when defects
are identified. A railroad freight car with a part 215 defect may be
moved to another location for repair only after the railroad has
complied with the process under 49 CFR 215.9. Section 215.9 requires
railroads to affix a ``bad order'' tag describing each defect to each
side of the freight car. It is imperative that a defective freight car
be tagged ``bad order'' so it can be readily identified and moved to
another location for repair purposes only, and so that the maximum
speed and other restrictions necessary for safely conducting the
movement are known. At the repair location, the ``bad order'' tag
serves as a notification of the defective condition of the freight car.
Railroads must retain each tag for 90 days to verify that proper
repairs were made at the designated location. When inspecting a freight
car, FRA and State inspectors review all pertinent records to determine
railroads' compliance with the movement restrictions of 49 CFR 215.9.
Additionally, section 215.301 requires railroads and private car
owners to stencil or otherwise display identification marks on freight
cars,

[[Page 39898]]

including a car number and build date. FRA uses the identification
marks to help obtain certain information related to a car's compliance
with Federal safety laws. The marks are used consistently across
railroad records to identify the car and show: the type of car, what
it's carrying, its movement history, and current maintenance schedule.
Using the marks to identify the cars helps FRA determine the
application of Federal safety laws to that car and who is responsible
for compliance. FRA also uses this information to determine if the
freight car qualifies for dedicated service and is excluded from the
requirements of part 215. Railroads use the required information to
provide identification and control so that dedicated cars remain in the
prescribed service.
In this 60-day notice, FRA decreased the estimated paperwork burden
under Sec. 215.11 by 250 hours. The decreased burden reflects the
reduction in number of mechanical employees in the railroad industry.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 754 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:

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Total cost
Section Respondent Total annual Average time Total annual equivalent in
universe responses per responses burden hours U.S. dollar
(A)............ (B)............ (C = A * B) (D = C * wage
rates)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
215.9(a)(2)--Movement of 754 railroads.. 150,000 Tags... 5 minutes...... 12,500 753,375
defective cars for repair--
Tagging.
--(a)(3) Notifications of 754 railroads.. 75,000 2 minutes...... 2,500 150,675
removal of defective car notifications.
tags.
215.11--Designated 754 railroads.. 30,000 records. 1 minute....... 500 30,135
inspectors--Records.
215.301--Stenciling--General. 754 railroads.. 30,000 45 minutes..... 22,500 1,356,075
stenciled.
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Total.................... 754 railroads.. 285,000 N/A............ 38,000 2,290,260
responses.
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 285,000.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 38,000 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$2,290,260.
Title: Rear End Marking Devices.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0523.
Abstract: Title 49 CFR part 221 contains requirements for rear end
marking devices. Railroads must provide FRA with a detailed description
of the type of marking devices used for any locomotive operating singly
or for cars or locomotives operating at the end of a train (trailing
end) to ensure that they meet minimum standards for visibility and
display. Specifically, part 221 requires railroads to furnish a
certification that each device has been tested in accordance with
current ``Guidelines for Testing of Rear End Marking Devices.''
Additionally, part 221 requires railroads to furnish detailed test
records, which include the names of testing organizations, test
descriptions, number of samples tested, and the test results, to
demonstrate compliance with the performance standard.
In this 60-day notice, FRA made no adjustments to the previously
approved burden hours.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 754 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 2.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 2 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $155.
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. 2022-14244 Filed 7-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P

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