[Federal Register: June 23, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 121)]
[Notices]
[Page 35436-35437]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23jn08-100]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. FTA-2008-0034]
Notice of Request for the Extension of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend
the following currently approved information collection: 49 U.S.C.
Section 5330--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight.
DATES: Comments must be submitted before August 22, 2008.
ADDRESSES: To ensure that your comments are not entered more than once
into the docket, submit comments identified by the docket number by
only one of the following methods:
1. Web site: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the U.S. Government electronic docket site.
(Note: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) electronic
docket is no longer accepting electronic comments.) All electronic
submissions must be made to the U.S. Government electronic docket site
at www.regulations.gov. Commenters should follow the directions below
for mailed and hand-delivered comments.
2. Fax: 202-366-7951.
3. Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue,
SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building, Ground
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number
for this notice at the beginning of your comments. Submit two copies of
your comments if you submit them by mail. For confirmation that FTA has
received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note
that all comments received, including any personal information, will be
posted and will be available to Internet users, without change, to
www.regulations.gov. You may review DOT's complete
[[Page 35437]]
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published April 11, 2000
(65 FR 19477), or you may visit www.regulations.gov. Docket: For access
to the docket to read background documents and comments received, go to
www.regulations.gov at any time. Background documents and comments
received may also be viewed at the U.S. Department of Transportation,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Docket Operations, M-30, West Building,
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001 between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Levern McElveen, Safety Team
Leader, Office of Safety and Security, (202) 366-1651, or e-mail:
Levern.McElveen@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested parties are invited to send
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection,
including: (1) The necessity and utility of the information collection
for the proper performance of the functions of the FTA; (2) the
accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways to
minimize the collection burden without reducing the quality of the
collected information. Comments submitted in response to this notice
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of
this information collection.
Title: 49 U.S.C. Section 5330--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State
Safety Oversight (OMB Number: 2132-0558).
Background: 49 U.S.C. Section 5330 requires States to designate a
State Safety Oversight (SSO) agency to oversee the safety and security
of each rail transit agency within the State's jurisdiction. To comply
with Section 5330, SSO agencies must develop program standards which
meet FTA's minimum requirements. In the Program Standard, which must be
approved by FTA, each SSO agency must require each rail transit agency
in the State's jurisdiction to prepare and implement a System Safety
Program Plan (SSPP) and System Security Plan (SSP). The SSO agency also
requires the rail transit agencies in its jurisdiction to conduct
specific activities, such as accident investigation, implementation of
a hazard management program, and the management of an internal safety
and security audit process. SSO agencies review and approve the SSPPs
and SSPs of the rail transit agencies. Once every three years, States
conduct an on-site review of the rail transit agencies in their
jurisdictions to assess SSPP/SSP implementation and to determine
whether these plans are effective and if they need to be updated. SSO
agencies develop final reports documenting the findings from these on-
site reviews and require corrective actions. SSO agencies also review
and approve accident investigation reports, participate in the rail
transit agency's hazard management program, and oversee implementation
of the rail transit agency's internal safety and security audit
process. SSO agencies review and approve corrective action plans and
track and monitor rail transit agency activities to implement them.
Collection of this information enables each SSO agency to monitor
each rail transit agency's implementation of the State's requirements
as specified in the Program Standard approved by FTA. Without this
information, States would not be able to oversee the rail transit
agencies in their jurisdictions. Recent recommendations from the
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) have encouraged States and rail transit
agencies to devote additional resources to these safety activities and
safety oversight in general.
SSO agencies also submit an annual certification to FTA that the
State is in compliance with Section 5330 and an annual report
documenting the State's safety and security oversight activities. FTA
uses the annual information submitted by the States to monitor
implementation of the program. If a State fails to comply with Section
5330, FTA may withhold up to five percent of the funds appropriated for
use in a State or urbanized area in the State under section 5307. The
information submitted by the States ensures FTA's compliance with
applicable federal laws, OMB Circular A-102, and 49 CFR Part 18,
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative
Agreements with State and Local Governments.''
Respondents: State and local government agencies.
Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: Annually, each designated
SSO agency devotes approximately 767 hours to information collection
activities for each of the rail transit agencies in the State's
jurisdiction. Combined, the SSO agencies spend approximately 33,770
hours on information collection activities each year, or roughly half
of the total level of effort devoted to implement Section 5330
requirements in a given year. The local governments affected by Section
5330, including the rail transit agencies, spend an annual total of
108,623 hours on information collection activities to support
implementation of Section 5330, or approximately 2,469 hours each. This
amount also equals approximately half of the total level of effort
devoted to implement Section 5330 requirements in a given year.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 142,393 hours.
Frequency: Annual.
Issued: June 16, 2008.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-14050 Filed 6-20-08; 8:45 am]
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