[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51810-51811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20283]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Transit Administration
[FTA Docket No. FTA-2013-0033]
Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review
AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's
(OMB) approval to renew the following information collection:
49 CFR part 659--Rail Fixed Guideway Systems; State Safety Oversight
The information collected 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. The Federal Register
Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments was published
on June 5, 2013.
DATES: Comments must be submitted before September 20, 2013 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 49 CFR part 659--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
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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. 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.
States also submit annual grant applications for Federal transit
assistance and report quarterly on the progress of those 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 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: 177,820 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.
Matthew M. Crouch,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-20283 Filed 8-20-13; 8:45 am]
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