Notice2023-01045
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA will seek 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 13 (Friday, January 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3772-3773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01045]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2023-0002-N-1]
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 will seek 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
March 21, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> 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 (2130-0534) 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#672f080306094930020b0b142703081349000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9cd4f3f8fdf2b2cbf9f0f0efdcf8f3e8b2fbf3ea">[email 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 1320.8-1320.12. 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 statutes and 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:
[[Page 3773]]
Title: Grade Crossing Signal System Safety Regulations.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0534.
Abstract: FRA believes that highway-rail grade crossing (grade
crossing) accidents resulting from warning system failures can be
reduced when railroads take certain actions, as required by FRA's
regulations, in the event of an activation failure.\1\ These required
actions are set forth in 49 CFR part 234. An activation failure is
defined as when a grade crossing warning system fails to indicate the
approach of a train at least 20 seconds prior to the train's arrival at
the crossing or to indicate the presence of a train occupying the
crossing. Specifically, railroads must report to FRA every impact
between on-track railroad equipment and an automobile, bus, truck,
motorcycle, bicycle, farm vehicle, or pedestrian at a highway-rail
grade crossing involving a crossing warning system activation failure.
Notification must be provided to the National Response Center within 24
hours of occurrence at the stipulated toll-free telephone number.
Additionally, railroads must report to FRA within 15 days of each
activation failure of a highway-rail grade warning system. Form FRA F
6180.83, ``Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning System Activation
Failure Report,'' must be used for this purpose and completed using the
instructions printed on the form. With this information, FRA can
identify the causes of activation failures and investigate them to
determine whether periodic maintenance, inspection, and testing
standards are effective.
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\1\ 59 FR 50086.
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In this 60-day notice, FRA made no adjustments to the previously
approved burden hours.
Type of Request: Extension without change (revised estimates) of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses (railroads).
Form(s): FRA F 6180.83.
Respondent Universe: 784 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion/monthly.
Reporting Burden:
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Total cost
CFR section Respondent universe Total annual responses Average time per Total annual burden equivalent in
response hours U.S. dollar
(A)......................... (B).................. (C = A * B)......... (D = C *
wage rates)
\2\
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234.7--Accidents involving 784 railroads............... 2 phone calls............... 2 minutes............ .1 hours............ $7
grade crossing signal failure--
Telephone notification.
234.9--Grade crossing signal 784 railroads............... 250 reports................. 10 minutes........... 42 hours............ 3,030
system failure reports--Form
6180.83.
234.105/106/107--Activation 784 railroads............... 30,000 notifications........ 5 minutes............ 2,500 hours......... 180,350
failure/partial activation/
false activation--Notification
to train crew and law
enforcement due to credible
report of warning system
malfunction.
234.109--Recordkeeping......... 784 railroads............... 30,000 records.............. 5 minutes............ 2,500 hours......... 180,350
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Total \3\.................. 784 railroads............... 60,252 responses............ N/A.................. 5,042 hours......... 363,737
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\2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2021 STB Full Year Wage A&B data series using the appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that
includes a 75-percent overhead charge. For Transportation (Other than Train & Engine) staff, this cost amounts to $72.14 per hour.
\3\ Totals may not add due to rounding.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 60,252.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 5,042 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$363,737.
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. 2023-01045 Filed 1-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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