82 FR 52769 - Petition for Waiver of Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 218 (November 14, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 14, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52769-52770]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24560]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2017-0116]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on November 1, 2017, BNSF 
Railway (BNSF) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for 
a waiver of compliance from certain

[[Page 52770]]

provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 
Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 231. FRA assigned the 
petition Docket Number FRA-2017-0116.
    Pursuant to 49 CFR 231.35, BNSF seeks relief from AAR Standard S-
2044, Appendix D1, the approved industry standard for safety appliances 
for flatcars with full decks. BNSF requests permission to alter Boeing 
aircraft fuselage flatcars and idler cars by modifying the transverse 
end and side handhold arrangement at the BL and AR corners of the 
flatcars. In order to transport the aircraft fuselages safely, the BR 
and AL side and end handholds will be positioned six (6) inches above 
the deck of the flatcar which will allow employees to safely utilize 
the handholds. BNSF states that ergonomic analysis of this arrangement 
indicates this modification does not compromise rail safety.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations 
Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal Holidays.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing about these proceedings since the facts do 
not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested parties desire an 
opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they should notify 
FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the 
basis for their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by January 3, 2018, will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered if practicable.
    Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications 
and comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the 
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better 
inform its processes. 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 https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-24560 Filed 11-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P