83 FR 7293 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 34 (February 20, 2018)

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe the information collections and their expected burden. On October 11, 2017, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICRs.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7293-7294]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03361]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2018-0008-N-1]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice 
announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Requests 
(ICRs) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and comment. The ICRs describe the information collections 
and their expected burden. On October 11, 2017, FRA published a notice 
providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICRs.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
March 22, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICRs to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk Officer. 
Comments may also be sent via email to OMB at the following address: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Railroad Safety, Safety 
Regulatory Analysis Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 
(telephone: (202) 493-6292); or Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Office of Administration, Office of Information 
Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-
6132).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
issue two notices seeking public comment on information collection 
activities before OMB may approve paperwork packages. See 44 U.S.C. 
3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8-12. On October 11, 2017, FRA published a 60-
day notice in the Federal Register soliciting comment on the ICRs for 
which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 82 FR 47595. FRA received no 
comments in response to this notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. Federal law 
requires OMB to approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 
60 days after the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)-(c); 5 
CFR 1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB 
believes the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file 
relevant comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public 
comments before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. 
Therefore, respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB 
within 30 days of publication to best ensure having their full effect.
    Comments are invited on the following ICRs regarding: (1) Whether 
the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly 
execute its functions, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways 
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of information 
collection activities on the public, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    The summaries below describe the ICRs that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating 
Employees.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0571.
    Abstract: FRA uses the collection of information to ensure 
railroads covered by this rule establish and implement noise 
monitoring, hearing conservation, and audiometric testing programs. 
This collection also includes hearing conservation training programs 
that protect railroad employees from the damaging and potentially 
dangerous effects of excessive noise in the everyday rail environment.
    Request: Extension with change of a current information collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 502 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 164,734.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 28,311 hours.

    Title: Conductor Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0596.

[[Page 7294]]

    Abstract: FRA's conductor certification regulation (49 CFR part 
242) requires railroads to have a formal program for certifying 
conductors. As part of that program, railroads are required to have a 
formal process for training prospective conductors and determining that 
all persons are competent before permitting them to serve as a 
conductor. FRA intended the regulation to ensure that only those 
persons who meet minimum Federal safety standards serve as conductors. 
FRA collects information to ensure that railroads and their employees 
fully comply with all the requirements of part 242, including a 
conductor certification/recertification program, fitness requirements, 
initial and periodic testing of conductors, territorial qualifications, 
etc.
    Type of Request: Extension with change of a current information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Form(s): N/A.
    Respondent Universe: 704 railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 268,799.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 856,406 hours.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 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.

Brett A. Jortland,
Acting Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2018-03361 Filed 2-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P