Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Issuing agencies

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 91 Issue 197 (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65293-65295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20991]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2026-1590]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

[[Page 65294]]


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 
December 14, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR 
should be submitted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> to Docket No. FRA-
2026-1590. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to 
the assigned OMB control number (2130-0594) 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. Joanne Swafford, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89e3e6e8e7e7eca7fafee8efefe6fbedc9ede6fda7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="02686d636c6c672c71756364646d706642666d762c656d74">[email&#160;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 finds 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 Safety Appliance Standards.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0594.
    Abstract: The information collection associated with 49 CFR part 
231 is used by FRA to promote and enhance the safe placement and 
securement of safety appliances on contemporary rail equipment by 
establishing a process for the review and approval of existing industry 
standards.
    The regulations related to safety appliance arrangements permit 
railroad industry representatives to submit requests for the approval 
of existing industry standards relating to the safety appliance 
arrangements on newly constructed railroad cars, locomotives, tenders, 
or other rail vehicles in lieu of the specific provisions contained in 
49 CFR part 231.
    In this 60-day notice, FRA has adjusted estimates to the previously 
approved burden hours, reducing the burden hours from 37 to 12 hours 
for this submission. The revised estimates reflect that FRA lowered the 
projected number of special approval and modification petitions from 
one annually to one over the next three years.
    Type of Request: Extension without change (with changes in 
estimates) of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses (railroads).
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 784 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Reporting Burden:
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    \1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the 2025 Surface 
Transportation Board Full Year Wage A&B data series using the 
employee group 200 (Professional & Administrative) hourly wage rate 
of $54.00. The total burden wage rate (Straight time plus 75%) used 
in the table is $94.50 ($54 x 1.75 = $94.50).
    \2\ Totals may not add up due to rounding.

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                                                                                                     Average time    Total annual        Total cost
             49 CFR part 231                  Respondent universe         Total annual responses     per response    burden hours     equivalent U.S.D.
                                                                       (A)........................             (B)     (C = A * B)  (D = C * wage rates)
                                                                                                                                                     \1\
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231.33 Procedure for special approval of
 existing industry safety appliance
 standards:
    --(b)(1) through (6) Filing of        Association of American      0.33 petition..............              17            5.61               $530.15
     petitions and affirmative statement.  Railroads (AAR) (industry
                                           rep.).
    --(f)(3)(iii) Disposition of          AAR (industry rep.)........  0.33 additional document...               2            0.66                 62.37
     petitions: petition returned by FRA
     requesting additional information.
231.35 Procedure for modification of an
 approved industry safety appliance
 standard for new railcar construction:
    --(a) Petition for modification and   AAR (industry rep.)........  0.33 petition for                        17            5.61                530.15
     affirmative statement.                                             modification.
                                                                                                   -----------------------------------------------------
        Total \2\.......................  AAR (industry rep.)........  1 response.................  ..............              12              1,122.66
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    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 1.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 12 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$1,122.66.
    FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond

[[Page 65295]]

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. 2026-20991 Filed 10-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P


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