Notice2025-03919
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
March 12, 2025
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 (ICR) summarized 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 90 Issue 47 (Wednesday, March 12, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 12, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11872-11873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03919]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2025-0013]
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) summarized 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 12, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> to the docket, Docket No.
FRA-2025-0013. All comments received will be posted without change to
the docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer
to the assigned OMB control number (2130-0006) in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this
notice in a subsequent notice made available to the public 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: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e1f0c121b0a0a1b50130b0d0d1710190a11103e1a110a50191108"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e687948a83929283c88b9395958f8881928988a6828992c8818990">[email protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9af0f5fbf4f4ffb4e9edfbfcfcf5e8fedafef5eeb4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4822272926262d663b3f292e2e273a2c082c273c662f273e">[email protected]</span></a> 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, 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: Railroad Signal System Requirements.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0006.
Abstract: The information collected under 49 CFR parts 233, 235,
and 236 is used by FRA to monitor railroad compliance with FRA's
inspection and testing requirements for signal systems, as well as to
review and approve railroad requests to discontinue or materially
modify existing signal systems. The information collected is also used
by FRA to monitor signal failures (e.g., failure of a signal appliance,
device, method, or system to function or indicate as required by 49 CFR
part 236 that results in a more favorable aspect than intended or other
condition hazardous to the movement of a train).
In this 60-day notice, FRA has made multiple adjustments to
estimates that decreased the previously approved burden hours by 1,435
hours. The decrease in burden is solely a result of these adjustments.
FRA conducted a thorough review of the paperwork burden for this
information collection and has determined that some of the estimates
and average time per responses were outdated. For example:
<bullet> Under Sec. Sec. 233.7 and 235.20, the burden hours have
increased by a total of 37.50 hours to reflect that submission of
signal failure reports and protests have both increased over this last
three-year reporting period. This change is primarily due to an
increase in submissions from labor organizations. (The burden hours
under Sec. 235.20 have also increased due to an increase in average
time per response, discussed below.)
<bullet> Under Sec. 235.5, the number of applications has
decreased over the last reporting period. Consequently, this submission
reflects a decrease in the number of responses resulting in a burden
reduction of 640 hours.
<bullet> As part of the evaluation process for this submission, the
average time for each requirement was reviewed and updates were made to
the estimates for Sec. Sec. 235.20 protests and 236.590 pneumatic
apparatus test records. The average time per response reflected under
Sec. 235.20 was increased from 30 minutes to one (1) hour, while the
average time for Sec. 236.590 decreased from 22.5 minutes to five (5)
minutes. This reduction is based on changes in the pneumatic apparatus
inspections and the exceptions that allow a 92-day inspection interval
if certain parameters are met. Overall, these adjustments contributed
to a reduction in the total burden hours for this submission.
<bullet> Finally, under Sec. 236.110, FRA determined that the
burden for railroads to request authorization from FRA to use an
electronic records system was not included in the previously reported
burden; only the record keeping burden was included. Therefore, FRA
increased the total estimated burden in this submission.
Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): FRA F 6180.14.
Respondent Universe: 150 \1\ railroads.
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\1\ In this submission, a recent FRA data collection shows
approximately 150 railroads, with wayside signaling systems, that
must comply with 49 CFR 233.5 and 233.7. When FRA last published a
notice in connection with its submission of this ICR (OMB control
number 2130-0006), on October 22, 2021 at 86 FR 58722, that notice
was based on a Respondent Universe of 754 railroads.
\2\ Totals may not sum due to rounding.
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[[Page 11873]]
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden
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Total cost
CFR section Respondent universe Total annual responses Average time per response Total annual Wage equivalent
burden hours rate U.S.D. (E)
(A)...................... (B)...................... (A * B = C) (D) (E = C * D)
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233.5--Accidents resulting 150 railroads.......... 1........................ 30 minutes............... 0.50 $89.13 $44.57
from signal failure.
233.7--Signal failure 150 railroads.......... 20....................... 15 minutes............... 5 89.13 445.65
reports--Form FRA F 6180.14
``False Proceed Signal
Report''.
235.5--Changes requiring 117 railroads.......... 8........................ 10 hours................. 80 89.13 7,130.40
filing of application.
235.8--Relief from the 117 railroads.......... 8........................ 10 hours................. 100 89.13 8,913.00
requirements of part 236 of
this title.
235.20--Protests............. Railroads/Public....... 40....................... 1 hour................... 40 89.13 3,565.20
236.110--Results of tests.... 117 railroads.......... 300,000 (paper) + 636,660 27 minutes (paper) + 8 219,888 69.79 15,345,983.52
(electronic). minutes (electronic).
236.110(e)--Authorization to 117 railroads.......... 8........................ 80 hours................. 640 89.13 57,043.20
use electronic or automated
tracking systems for test
results.
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236.587--Departure Test...... The burden for this requirement is covered under OMB Control Number 2130-0553.
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236.590--Pneumatic apparatus. 42 railroads........... 6,697.................... 5 minutes................ 558.08 80.38 44,858.47
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Total \2\................ 150 railroads.......... 943,444 responses........ N/A...................... 221,312 ........ 15,467,984
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Total Estimated Annual Responses: 943,444.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 221,312 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Dollar Cost Equivalent: $15,467,984.
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.
Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2025-03919 Filed 3-11-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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