[Federal Register: September 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 178)]
[Notices]
[Page 53071-53072]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12se08-124]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. FTA-2008-0041]
Agency Information Collection Activity under OMB Review
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: Rail Fixed
Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight. The Federal Register Notice
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published on June
23, 2008. No comments were received in response to that notice.
DATES: Comments must be submitted before October 14, 2008. A comment to
OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaStar Matthews, Office of
Administration, Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-2295 or e-
mail: LaStar.Matthews@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, State Safety Oversight.
OMB Number: 2132-0558.
Abstract: 49 U.S.C. 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
[[Page 53072]]
laws, OMB Circular A-102, and 49 CFR Part 18, ``Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local
Governments.''
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 142,393 hours.
ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk
Officer.
Comments are Invited On: Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Issued: September 8, 2008.
Ann M. Linnertz,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-21180 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
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