[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2441-2442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-570]



[[Page 2441]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2011-0001-N-1]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its 
implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 
hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently 
approved information collection activities. Before submitting these 
information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on 
specific aspects of the activities identified below.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than March 14, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following 
proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of 
Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, 
DC 20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-
20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail 
Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge 
receipt of their respective comments must include a self-addressed 
stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB control number 2130-0566.'' 
Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-
6216 or (202) 493-6479, or via e-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
[email protected], or to Ms. Toone at [email protected]. 
Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence 
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this 
notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its information 
collection submission to OMB for approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning 
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 
(202) 493-6292) or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information 
Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-
6139). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Sec.  2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 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 
for comment on information collection activities before seeking 
approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA 
invites interested respondents to comment on the following summary of 
proposed information collection activities regarding (i) whether the 
information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the activities will have 
practical utility; (ii) 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; (iii) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of 
information collection activities on the public by automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(i)-(iv); 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1)(I)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will 
promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens 
associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal 
regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will 
advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure 
that it organizes information collection requirements in a ``user 
friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and (iii) 
accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    Below are brief summaries of eight currently approved information 
collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as 
required under the PRA:
    Title: Reflectorization of Freight Rolling Stock.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0566.
    Abstract: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued this 
regulation to mandate the reflectorization of freight rolling stock 
(freight cars and locomotives) to enhance the visibility of trains in 
order to reduce the number and severity of accidents at highway-rail 
grade crossings in which train visibility acted as a contributing 
factor. The information collected is used by FRA to ensure that 
railroads/car owners follow the schedule established by the regulation 
for placing retro-reflective material on the sides of freight rolling 
stock (freight cars and locomotives) in order to improve the visibility 
of trains. The information is also used by FRA to confirm that 
railroads/car owners meet the prescribed standards for the application, 
inspection, and maintenance of the required retro-reflective material.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Respondent Universe: 685 Railroads.
    Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.113.

                                                Reporting Burden
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                                                             Total annual      Average time per    Total annual
          CFR section              Respondent universe         responses           response        burden hours
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224.7--Waivers.................  685 Railroads/car        10 petitions......  1 hour............       20 hours.
                                  owners.
224.15--Special approval         3 Manufacturers........  60 petitions......  40 hours..........    2,400 hours.
 procedures--Petitions.
    --Public comment...........  3 Manufacturers/         5 comments........  1 hour............        5 hours.
                                  railroads.
224.107--Implementation          685 Railroads/car        400 reports/forms.  15 minutes........      100 hours.
 Schedule: Freight cars.          owners.
    --Existing freight cars w/o  685 Railroads/car        400 reports/forms.  20 minutes........    8,000 hours.
     retroreflective sheeting.    owners.

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    --Updated reflectorization   685 Railroads/car        5 Failure Reports.  2 hours...........       10 hours.
     implementation plans.        owners.
    --Failure reports..........  685 Railroads/car        172 reports//forms  20 hours..........    3,440 hours.
                                  owners.
II. Existing Cars with           685 Railroads/car        35 reports/forms..  15 minutes........        9 hours.
 retroreflective sheeting (b).    owners.
 Locomotives.
    --Existing locomotives w/o   685 Railroads/car        35 reports/forms..  3 hours...........      105 hours.
     retroreflective sheeting.    owners.
    --Updated reflectorization   685 Railroads/car        1 Failure Report..  2 hours...........        2 hours.
     implementation plans.        owners.
    --Failure reports..........  685 Railroads/car        617 reports/forms.  4 hours...........    2,468 hours.
                                  owners.
II. Existing locomotives with
 retroreflective sheeting
224.109--Inspection, repair,     AAR + 300 car shops....  240,000 Notificat.  10 minutes........   40,000 hours.
 replacement--fr. cars.
    --Locomotives: records of    22,800 Locomotives.....  4,560 records.....  3 minutes.........      228 hours.
     restriction.
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    Total Responses: 246,300.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 56,787 hours.
    Status: Regular Review.
    Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 
1320.8(b)(3)(vi), 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 unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 7, 2011.
Kimberly Coronel,
Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-570 Filed 1-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P