Notice2025-15057
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
August 8, 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 151 (Friday, August 8, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 151 (Friday, August 8, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38587-38591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15057]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2025-0007]
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
October 7, 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-2025-0007. All comments received will be posted without change to
the docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer
to the assigned OMB control number (2130-0560) 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.
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7617041a13020213581b0305051f18110219183612190258111900"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5c3d2e30392828397231292f2f35323b2833321c383328723b332a">[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#640e0b050a0a014a17130502020b160024000b104a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ee4e1efe0e0eba0fdf9efe8e8e1fceaceeae1faa0e9e1f8">[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: Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0560.
Abstract: FRA's locomotive horn use regulations (49 CFR part 222)
prescribe standards for sounding locomotive horns when locomotives
approach and pass through public highway-rail grade crossings. FRA
collects information from railroads and public authorities to increase
safety at public highway-rail grade crossings nationwide by requiring
that locomotive horns be sounded when trains approach and pass through
these crossings or by ensuring that a safety level, at least equivalent
to that provided by routine locomotive horn sounding, exists for quiet
zone corridors in which such routine horn sounding is silenced. FRA
reviews applications by public authorities intending to establish new
quiet zones by implementing alternative safety measures and approves
the effectiveness rate assigned to them.
In this 60-day notice, FRA has made program changes and adjustments
that decreased the previously approved burden hours from 7,253 to 7,232
hours and decreased the number of responses from 3,620 to 3,536. This
decrease in burden, after a thorough review, is the result of the
changes described in the sections summarized below:
<bullet> FRA published a final rule on July 1, 2025, titled
Administrative Updates to the Use of Locomotive Horns at Public
Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Regulations.\1\ FRA removed certified mail
notification requirements and allows electronic submittal of
applications and notifications to other parties and to FRA's Grade
Crossing and
[[Page 38588]]
Trespasser Outreach Division. The estimated burdens for Sec. Sec.
222.39, 222.43, 222.47 and 222.51 have been updated accordingly,
decreasing burdens by 72 hours.
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\1\ 90 FR 28150.
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<bullet> Under Sec. 222.51(c), which describes the process for
reviewing the status of any quiet zone, FRA determined that the burden
previously reported for public comments should be excluded because the
submission of public comments in response to a Federal Register notice
falls outside the PRA's definition of information under 5 CFR
1320.3(h)(4). Accordingly, FRA is removing the burden previously
attributed to public comments from interested parties during FRA's
review of the status of any quiet zone.
<bullet> Under Sec. 222.55(b) and (d), which describes how
interested parties may apply for approval from the Associate
Administrator to demonstrate proposed new supplementary or alternative
safety measures (SSMs/ASMs), FRA adjusted the burden estimates to
reflect the number of hours and estimated average time required to
compose the written request, increasing the burden by 40 hours. The
increased burden hours reflect additional time needed, after the
demonstration of proposed SSMs or ASMs, to gather all the necessary
documentation and prepare the written application with the required
information that must be included pursuant to Sec. 222.55(d)(1)
through (5).
<bullet> Lastly, under Sec. 222.57(c), which establishes
procedures for how parties can seek reconsideration of an Associate
Administrator decision to terminate a quiet zone, and Sec. 222.57(d),
which establishes procedures for railroads to request reconsideration
of an Associate Administrator decision to approve an application for
approval of a proposed quiet zone, FRA determined that the estimated
burden hours were not included in the previously reported burden. FRA
has corrected the oversight by adding 9 burden hours.
Overall, program changes and adjustments decreased the total burden
hours for this submission by 21 hours.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Form(s): N/A.
Respondent Universe: 754 railroads/645 public authorities.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden:
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Total annual Average time per Total annual Total cost
CFR Section (49 CFR part 222) Respondent universe responses response burden hours Wage \2\ rate equivalent
(A).................. (B).................. (C) = A * B (D) (E) = C * D
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222.15 How does one obtain a waiver of a provision of this regulation?
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--Petition for waiver.............. 754 railroads 645 2 petitions.......... 4 hours.............. 8 $89.13 $713.04
public authorities.
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222.17 How can a State agency become a recognized State agency?
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--Any State agency responsible for FRA anticipates zero submissions over the next three-year period.
highway-rail grade crossing safety
and/or highway and road safety may
become a recognized State agency
by submitting an application to
the Associate Administrator.
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222.39 How is a quiet zone established?
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--(b)(1) and (2) Public authority 645 public 15 applications...... 85.7 hours........... 1,285.50 73.40 94,355.70
application to FRA to establish a authorities.
quiet zone.
--(b)(3) 60-day comment period..... 645 public 90 copies............ 2 minutes............ 3 73.40 220.20
--(i) Application copies........... authorities.
--(ii) Comments to FRA on public 754 railroads........ 30 comments.......... 1.5 hours............ 45 89.13 4,010.85
authority application.
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.39(b)(3) to remove the
certified mail requirement, to
require electronic submittal of
the application to FRA, and to
allow for electronic service of
the application to other parties.).
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--(iii) Written statements of FRA anticipates receiving zero submissions over the next three-year period.
waived right to comment on public
authority application.
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222.43 What notices and other information are required to create or continue a quiet zone?
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--Written notice of public Public authorities, 60 notices........... 40 hours............. 2,400 73.40 176,160.00
authority's intent to create new railroads, and State 180 notifications.... 2 minutes............ 6 73.40 440.40
quiet zone. agencies.
--notification to required parties.
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.43 to remove the
certified mail notification
requirements, to require
electronic service of
notifications required in this
section to FRA, and to allow for
electronic service of the
notifications required in this
section to other parties.).
[[Page 38589]]
--(b)(3) Notice of Intent-60-day 754 railroads and 120 comments......... 1.5 hours............ 180 89.13 16,043.40
comment period. State agencies.
--(d) Notice of Quiet Zone 645 public 60 notices........... 40 hours............. 2,400 73.40 176,160.00
Establishment. authorities.
--Notification to required parties. 360 notifications.... 2 minutes............ 12 73.40 880.80
--(d)(2)(v) and (vi) Required 645 public 300 updated forms.... 30 minutes........... 150 73.40 11,010.00
contents--Crossing Inventory Forms authorities.
(includes requirements under Sec.
222.49(a)).
--(d)(2)(xi) Certification by chief 645 public 60 certifications.... 5 minutes............ 5.00 73.40 367.00
executive officer that the authorities.
information submitted by the
public authority is accurate.
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222.45 When is a railroad required to cease routine sounding of locomotive horns at crossings?
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--On the date specified in a Notice The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 222.43(d)(1)(i).
of Quiet Zone Continuation or
Notice of Quiet Zone Establishment
that complies with the
requirements set forth in Sec.
222.43, a railroad shall refrain
from, or cease, routine sounding
of the locomotive horn at all
public, private and pedestrian
grade crossings identified in the
Notice..
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222.47 What periodic updates are required?
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--(a)(1) and (b)(1) Written 645 public 180 written 30 minutes........... 90 73.40 6,606.00
affirmation that SSMs and ASMs authorities. affirmations.
continue to conform.
--Copies of such notification must 1,080 copies......... 2 minutes............ 36 73.40 2,642.40
be provided to the required
parties.
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.47(a)(1) and (b)(1) to
remove the certified mail
requirements, to allow for
electronic service.).
--(a)(2) and (b)(2) Updated 645 public 900 updated forms.... 30 minutes........... 450 73.40 33,030.00
Crossing Inventory Forms (includes authorities.
requirements under Sec.
222.49(a)).
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.47(a)(2) and(b)(2) to
require grade crossing inventory
forms to be submitted
electronically.).
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222.49 Who may file Grade Crossing Inventory Forms?
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--Who can file Grade Crossing The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is included under Sec. Sec. 222.39, 222.43, and 222.47.
Inventory Forms.
222.51 Under what conditions will quiet zone status be terminated?
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--(a) and (b) Written commitment to 645 public 15 written 5 hours.............. 75 73.40 5,505.00
lower the potential risk to the authorities. commitments.
traveling public at the crossings
within the quiet zone.
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--(d) Termination by the public FRA estimates zero public authorities will elect to terminate a quiet zone that they only recently designated or
authority--Written notice of established, and so there will be no need to provide any written notices of termination. Consequently, there is no
termination. estimated paperwork burden associated with this requirement.
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.51(d)(2) to remove the
certified mail requirement, and to
allow for electronic service.).
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--(e)(1) Notification of 645 public 2 written notices.... 1.5 hours............ 3 73.40 220.20
termination. authorities.
(Revised requirement. FRA amended
Sec. 222.51(e)(1) to remove the
certified mail requirement, and to
allow for electronic service.).
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[[Page 38590]]
222.55 How are new supplementary or alternative safety measures approved?
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--(b) Request for FRA approval to Interested parties... 1 letter............. 1 hour............... 1 73.40 73.40
demonstrate proposed new SSMs or
ASMs for quiet zones.
--(d) Application for SSM/ASM Interested parties... 1 letter............. 40 hours............. 40 73.40 2,936.00
approval upon completion of
demonstration of proposed new SSMs
or ASMs.
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--(g) A public authority or other The estimated paperwork burden for this requirement is covered under Sec. 222.57.
interested party may appeal to the
Administrator from a decision by
the Associate Administrator
granting or denying approval of a
proposed new SSM or ASM.
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222.57 Can parties seek review of the Associate Administrator's actions?
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--(a) Petition to FRA for review of 645 public 1 petition........... 2 hours.............. 2 73.40 146.80
any decision by the Associate authorities and
Administrator granting or denying interested parties.
an application for approval of a
new SSM or ASM under Sec. 222.55.
--Copies to the required parties... 6 copies............. 2 minutes............ 0.20 73.40 14.68
--(b) Request for FRA 645 public 1 petition........... 4.50 hours........... 4.50 73.40 330.30
reconsideration of decision by the authorities.
Associate Administrator denying an
application for approval of quiet
zone or requiring additional
safety measures. This includes:.
copies of requests to required
parties, additional documents, and
letter of request for informal
hearing.
--(c) Request for FRA 645 public 1 petition........... 4.50 hours........... 4.50 73.40 330.30
reconsideration of decision to authorities.
terminate a quiet zone.
--(d) Request for FRA 754 railroads........ 1 petition........... 4.50 hours........... 4.50 73.40 330.30
reconsideration of approval of a
quiet zone application.
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222.59 When may a wayside horn be used?
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--(b) Written notice of wayside 645 public 5 notices............ 2.5 hours............ 12.50 73.40 917.50
horn installation at grade authorities.
crossing within a quiet zone.
--Copies of the written notices to 30 copies............ 2 minutes............ 1 73.40 88.08
the required parties.
--(c) Notice of wayside horn 645 public 5 notices............ 2.5 hours............ 12.50 73.40 917.50
installation located outside a authorities.
quiet zone.
--Copies to the required parties... 30 copies............ 2 minutes............ 1 73.40 88.08
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Appendix B to Part 222--Alternative Safety Measures
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--Non-Engineering ASMs Programmed FRA anticipates zero submissions. FRA has yet to receive any submissions under this provision.
Enforcement.
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--Non-Engineering ASMs............. FRA anticipates zero submissions. FRA has yet to receive any submissions under this provision.
Photo Enforcement..................
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Total.......................... 754 railroads State 3,536 responses...... N/A.................. 7,232 hours .............. 534,508.57
agencies.
645 public
authorities and
interested parties.
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[[Page 38591]]
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 3,536.
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\2\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2023 Surface
Transportation Board Full Year Wage A&B data series using the
employee group 200 (Professional & Administrative) hourly wage rate
of $50.93, and group 600 (Transportation, Train & Engine) hourly
wage rate of $41.94. The total burden wage rate (Straight time plus
75 percent) used in the table is $89.13 ($50.93 x 1.75 = $89.13),
and $41.94 ($41.94 x 1.75 = $73.40).
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Total Estimated Annual Burden: 7,232 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$534,508.57.
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. 2025-15057 Filed 8-7-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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