80 FR 55285 - Risk Reduction Program

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 178 (September 15, 2015)

On February 27, 2015, FRA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would require certain railroads to develop a Risk Reduction Program (RRP). On August 27, 2015, FRA held a public hearing to provide interested persons an opportunity to provide oral comments on the proposal. FRA is reopening the comment period for this proceeding to allow additional time for interested parties to submit written comments in response to views or information provided at the public hearing.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55285-55286]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23233]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2009-0038]

49 CFR Part 271

RIN 2130-AC11


Risk Reduction Program

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of comment period reopening.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On February 27, 2015, FRA published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NPRM) that would require certain railroads to develop a 
Risk Reduction Program (RRP). On August 27, 2015, FRA held a public 
hearing to provide interested persons an opportunity to provide oral 
comments on the proposal. FRA is reopening the comment period for this 
proceeding to allow additional time for interested parties to submit 
written comments in response to views or information provided at the 
public hearing.

DATES: The comment period for this proceeding, consisting of the 
proposed rule published February 27, 2015, at 80 FR 10950, and the 
August 27, 2015, hearing, announced at 80 FR 45500, July 30, 2015, is 
reopened. Written comments must be received by September 18th, 2015. 
Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent 
possible without incurring additional expense or delay.

ADDRESSES: Written comments related to Docket No. FRA-2009-0038 may be 
submitted by any of the following methods:
     Web site: The Federal eRulemaking Portal, http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the Web site's online instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, Washington, 
DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
Room W12-140 on the ground level of the West Building, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name, docket 
name, and docket number or Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) for 
this rulemaking. Note that all comments received will be posted without 
change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for Privacy Act 
information related to any submitted comments or materials.
    Docket: FRA has posted a transcript of the August 27, 2015, public 
hearing to the public docket in this proceeding. For access to the 
docket to read background documents or comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management Facility, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, Room W-12-140 on the ground level of the West 
Building, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miriam Kloeppel, Staff Director, Risk 
Reduction Program Division, Office of Safety Analysis, FRA, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6224, 
[email protected]; or Elizabeth Gross, Trial Attorney, Office of 
Chief Counsel, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mail Stop 10, 
Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-1342, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 
requires the development and implementation of railroad safety risk 
reduction programs. Risk reduction is a comprehensive, system-oriented 
approach to safety that (1) determines an operation's level of risk by 
identifying and analyzing applicable hazards and (2) involves the 
development of plans to mitigate that risk. Each RRP is statutorily 
required to be supported by a risk analysis and a Risk Reduction 
Program Plan, which must include a Technology Implementation Plan and a 
Fatigue Management Plan.
    FRA held a public hearing on August 27, 2015, to receive oral 
comments in response to an NPRM requesting public comment on a proposed 
risk reduction rulemaking. See 80 FR 10950, Feb. 27, 2015 and 80 FR 
45500, July 30, 2015. FRA also reopened the comment period to allow 
time for interested parties to submit written comments after the public 
hearing, and comments were due September 10, 2015. To afford interested 
parties additional time and opportunity to submit written comments in 
response to views or information provided at the public hearing, FRA is 
again reopening the comment period in this proceeding.

[[Page 55286]]

Written comments must be received by September 18th, 2015.

Privacy Act Statement

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 11th, 2015.
Patrick T. Warren,
Acting Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-23233 Filed 9-11-15; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P