[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42396-42397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16984]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2014-0011-N-02]
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 compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces that the Information Collection Requests (ICRs)
abstracted below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describes the nature of
the information collections and their expected burdens. The Federal
Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the
following collections of information was published on May 7, 2014 (79
FR 26299).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 20, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of
Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200
New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (Telephone:
(202) 493-6132). (This telephone number is 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 issue two notices seeking public
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1),
1320.12. On May 7, 2014, FRA published a 60-day notice in the Federal
Register soliciting comment on ICRs that the agency was seeking OMB
approval. See 79 FR 26299. FRA received no comments after issuing this
notice. Accordingly, these information collection activities have been
re-evaluated and certified under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and are being
forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12(c).
Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C.
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). 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 that 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. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
The summary below describes the nature of the information
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The revised
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by
the PRA.
Title: Capital Grants for Rail Line Relocation and Improvement
Projects.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0578.
Type of Request: Extension without change of a previously approved
collection.
Abstract: Section 9002 of SAFETEA-LU amended chapter 201 of Title
49 of the United States Code by adding new section 20154, which
establishes the basic elements of a funding program for capital grants
for rail relocation and improvement projects. Subsection (b) of the new
section 20154 mandates that the Secretary of Transportation issue
``temporary regulations'' to implement the capital grants program and
then issue final regulations by October 1, 2006.
[[Page 42397]]
In FY 2008, Congress appropriated $20,145,000 for the Program,
reduced by rescission to $20,040,200. Of this sum, $14,905,000 was
available for discretionary (competitive) grants. After evaluating and
scoring 37 applications, FRA awarded $14,315,300 to seven different
projects, leaving $589,700. In FY 2009, Congress appropriated
$25,000,000 and directed that $17,100,000 be awarded to 23 specific
projects, with $7,900,000 left over for discretionary grants.
Subsequently, in FY 2010, Congress appropriated $34,532,000 for the
Program, and directed that $24,519,200 go to 27 specifically enumerated
projects. FRA combined the remaining $10,012,800 with the $589,700 that
was not awarded from the FY 2008 competition, $2,000,000 that was
awarded to one of the FY 2008 projects but which the project sponsors
ultimately turned down, and the $7,900,000 in FY 2009 discretionary
funding for a total of $20,502,500. These funds were the subject of a
Notice of Funding Availability that FRA published in the Federal
Register on September 10, 2010. The application period closed on
October 29, 2010.
Annual Estimated Burden: 26,083 hours.
Addressee: Send comments regarding these information collections to
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20503,
Attention: FRA Desk Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to OMB
at the following address: [email protected].
Comments are invited on the following: Whether the proposed
collections of information are 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 estimates of
the burden of the proposed information collections; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal
Register.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2014.
Rebecca Pennington,
Chief Financial Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-16984 Filed 7-18-14; 8:45 am]
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