Notice2024-02501
Petition for Waiver of Compliance and Notice of Public Hearing
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
February 7, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
On January 16, 2024, FRA published a public notice announcing that on August 10, 2023, Georgia Central Railway, L.P. and Heart of Georgia Railroad, Inc. (Petitioners) submitted a request to FRA for approval of a test program, and the temporary suspension of certain FRA safety regulations in connection with that program (Program). In this notice, FRA is announcing a public hearing to allow interested persons the opportunity to provide comments on the petition. FRA is also announcing a 14-day extension of the comment period to allow time for interested parties to submit comments on the petition or in response to views or information provided at the public hearing.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8485-8486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02501]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2023-0066, Notice No. 2]
Petition for Waiver of Compliance and Notice of Public Hearing
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Announcement of public hearing and extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On January 16, 2024, FRA published a public notice announcing
that on August 10, 2023, Georgia Central Railway, L.P. and Heart of
Georgia Railroad, Inc. (Petitioners) submitted a request to FRA for
approval of a test program, and the temporary suspension of certain FRA
safety regulations in connection with that program (Program). In this
notice, FRA is announcing a public hearing to allow interested persons
the opportunity to provide comments on the petition. FRA is also
announcing a 14-day extension of the comment period to allow time for
interested parties to submit comments on the petition or in response to
views or information provided at the public hearing.
DATES:
(1) A public hearing will be held on March 12, 2024, from 1 p.m.
(ET) to 5 p.m. (ET) in Vidalia, GA, and through one or more internet
links.
(2) Comments: FRA must receive comments on the petition, or in
response to views or information provided at the public hearing, by
April 1, 2024. FRA will consider comments received after that date to
the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES:
Public Hearing: The public hearing will allow for participation in-
person or virtually. For those participants that prefer to appear in
person, the public hearing will be held at the Vidalia Community
Center, 107 Old Airport Road, Vidalia, GA 30474. For those participants
wishing to make a statement at the public hearing, either in-person or
virtually, please contact FRA as described under the Public
Participation Procedures heading in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document. Any person who wants to participate or
observe the public hearing virtually can visit <a href="https://railroads.dot.gov/hog-gc-hearing">https://railroads.dot.gov/hog-gc-hearing</a>for the web address and hyperlink.
Comments: Comments related to Docket No. FRA-2023-0066 may be
submitted by going to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and following the
online instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number (FRA-2023-0066). All comments received will be posted
without change to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>; this includes any
personal information. Please see the Privacy Act heading in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for Privacy Act
information related to any submitted comments or materials.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and follow the
online instructions for accessing the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Brewer, Staff Director--
Engineering and Technology Division, Federal Railroad Administration,
telephone: 509-994-1978, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#74191500001c11035a16061103110634101b005a131b02"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3954584d4d515c4e175b4b5c4e5c4b795d564d175e564f">[email protected]</span></a>; or Veronica
Chittim, Attorney Advisor, Federal Railroad Administration, telephone:
202-480-3410, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2f594a5d4041464c4e014c47465b5b46426f4b405b01484059"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f18794839e9f989290df9299988585989cb1959e85df969e87">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this hearing is to receive
comments in response to a petition for approval of a test program and
the temporary suspension of certain FRA safety regulations in
connection with that Program, including certain statutory requirements
that would require FRA to exercise its authority under 49 U.S.C. 20306
to exempt the rail equipment involved from the requirements of 49
U.S.C. 20302. Petitioners should be present at the hearing and prepared
to present evidence that any requirements of chapter 203, title 49,
U.S.C., for which exemption is sought ``preclude the development or
implementation of more efficient railroad transportation.''
Interested parties are invited to present statements and to offer
information and views at the hearing. The hearing will be an informal,
non-adversarial proceeding conducted by a representative FRA designates
under FRA's Rules of Practice (49 CFR 211.25). Therefore, there will be
no cross-examination of persons presenting statements or offering
information. An FRA representative will make an
[[Page 8486]]
opening statement outlining the scope of the hearing. Interested
parties will then be provided with an opportunity to make initial
statements. After all initial statements are completed, those persons
wishing to make a brief rebuttal will be given the opportunity to do
so, in the same order in which the initial statements were made. FRA
will announce any additional procedures necessary at the hearing.
There will be a court reporter to record and transcribe comments
presented verbatim at the hearing. FRA will add the verbatim transcript
of the discussions to the public docket in this proceeding.
Public Participation Procedures
Any person: (1) wishing to attend the hearing in person, (2) make a
statement at the hearing either in-person or virtually, or (3) both,
should notify FRA by contacting Ms. Shari Carney, Transportation
Analyst, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#790a11180b10571a180b171c00391d160d571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="22514a43504b0c4143504c475b62464d560c454d54">[email protected]</span></a>, no later than March 8, 2024,
providing the following information, as applicable:
(a) The name, affiliation or party represented, email address, and
phone number of the participant.
(b) Whether the participant is attending in person or virtually.
(c) The subject(s) of the statement and/or presentation the
participant wishes to make, and the amount of time requested.
(d) A copy of the oral statement and/or presentation, if available.
FRA reserves the right to limit participation in the hearing of
persons who fail to follow the public participation procedures as
outlined above, or additional procedures announced at the hearing. FRA
also reserves the right to limit the duration of presentations, as
necessary, to afford all persons the opportunity to speak, or to limit
participation in the hearing of persons who exceed their allotted time
or who discuss topics or issues outside the scope of the petition.
Further, FRA reserves the right to limit in-person attendance at the
hearing, as space is limited; preference in attendance will be provided
to persons requesting to present statements in person.
FRA is committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all
participants. If you need alternative formats or other reasonable
accommodations to participate in this meeting, either in-person or
virtually, please contact FRA Transportation Analyst Ms. Shari Carney,
by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3043585142591e5351425e554970545f441e575f46"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3142595043581f5250435f544871555e451f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>, no later than March 8, 2024.
Extension of Comment Period
FRA is extending the comment period by 14 days to April 1, 2024, to
allow time for interested parties to submit written comments on the
proposal or in response to views or information provided at the public
hearing.
Privacy Act
In accordance with FRA Order 1100.14G, FRA solicits comments from
the public to better inform its disposition of waivers, exemptions,
block signal applications, and other special approvals under the
Federal railroad safety laws and regulations and in accordance with
FRA's Rules of Practice (title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
part 211). DOT posts these comments, without edit, to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, under docket number FRA-2023-0066, as described in
the system of records notice, DOT/ALL-14 FDMS, accessible through
<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/privacy">https://www.transportation.gov/privacy</a>. To facilitate comment tracking
and response, we encourage commenters to provide their name, or the
name of their organization; however, submission of names is completely
optional. Whether or not commenters identify themselves, all timely
comments will be fully considered. If you wish to provide comments
containing proprietary or confidential information, please contact the
agency for alternate submission instructions.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-02501 Filed 2-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 7, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.