[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 29 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7628-7629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02892]
[[Page 7628]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA 2016-0002-N-4]
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: FRA hereby gives notice that it is submitting the following
information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for Emergency Processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995. FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information
identified below seven days after publication of this Notice for a
period of 180 days.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Regulatory Safety Analysis Division, RRS-
21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail
Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292) or Ms.
Kimberly Toone, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of
Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200
New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone:
(202) 493-6132). (These telephone numbers are 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 provide notice to the public for
comment on information collection activities before seeking approval
for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA invites
interested respondents to comment on the following summary of proposed
information collection activities regarding (i) whether the information
collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its
functions, including whether the activities will have practical
utility; (ii) 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; (iii) ways
for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of
information collection activities on the public by automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses). See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(I)-(iv); 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1)(I)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will
promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens
associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal
regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will
advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure
that it organizes information collection requirements in a ``user
friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and (iii)
accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
Organizations and individuals desiring to submit comments on these
information collection requirements should send them directly to the
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, 725 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk
Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to the Office of
Management and Budget at the following address:
[email protected].
Below is a brief summary of the currently approved ICR that FRA
will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:
Title: Bridge Safety Standards.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0586.
Abstract: On July 15, 2010, FRA published its Bridge Safety
Standards Final Rule. See 75 FR 41281. The final rule on bridge safety
standards normalized and established federal requirements for railroad
bridges. The final rule established minimum requirements to assure the
structural integrity of railroad bridges and to protect the safe
operation of trains over those bridges. The final rule required
railroads/track owners to implement bridge management programs to
prevent the deterioration of railroad bridges and to reduce the risk of
human casualties, environmental damage, and disruption to the Nation's
transportation system that would result from a catastrophic bridge
failure. Bridge management programs were required to include annual
inspection of bridges as well as special inspections, which must be
conducted if natural or accidental events cause conditions that warrant
such inspections. Lastly, the final rule required railroads/track
owners to audit bridge management programs and bridge inspections and
to keep records mandated under 49 CFR part 237. This final rule
culminated FRA's efforts to develop and promulgate bridge safety
regulations and fulfilled the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008
(Pub. L. 110-432, Division A) mandate.
The information collected is used by FRA to ensure that railroads/
track owners meet Federal standards for bridge safety and comply with
all the requirements of this regulation. In particular, the collection
of information is used by FRA to confirm that railroads/track owners
adopt and implement bridge management programs to properly inspect,
maintain, modify, and repair all bridges that carry trains over them
for which they are responsible. Railroads/track owners must conduct
annual inspections of railroad bridges. Further, railroads/track owners
must incorporate provisions for internal audit into their bridge
management program and must conduct internal audits of bridge
inspection reports. The internal audit information is used by
railroads/track owners to verify that the inspection provisions of the
bridge management program are being followed and to continually
evaluate the effectiveness of their bridge management program and
bridge inspection activities. FRA uses this information to ensure that
railroads/track owners implement a safe and effective bridge management
program and bridge inspection regime.
On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Fixing
America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (Pub. L. 114-94).
Section 11405, ``Bridge Inspection Reports,'' provides a means for a
State or a political subdivision of a State to obtain a public version
of a bridge inspection report generated by a railroad for a bridge
located within their respective jurisdiction. While the FAST Act
specifies that requests for such reports are to be filed with the
Secretary of Transportation, the responsibility for fulfilling these
requests is delegated to FRA. See 49 CFR 1.89.
FRA is revising its currently approved information collection to
account for the additional burden that will be incurred by States and
political subdivisions of States requesting a public version of a
bridge inspection report generated by a railroad for a bridge located
within their respective jurisdiction. FRA has developed a new Form
titled ``Bridge Inspection Report Public Version Request Form'' to
facilitate such requests by States and their political subdivisions.
Additionally, FRA is
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revising its currently approved information collection to account for
the additional burden that will be incurred by railroads to provide the
public version of a bridge inspection report upon agency request to
FRA.
As provided under 49 CFR 1320.13, FRA is requesting emergency
processing for this new collection of information as specified in the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations. FRA
cannot reasonably comply with normal clearance procedures since they
would be reasonably likely to disrupt the collection of information.
With the recent passage of the FAST Act, FRA expects States and their
political subdivisions to immediately request a public version of
bridge inspection reports that affect critical infrastructure within
their jurisdiction to ensure public safety. Upon receipt of such
requests, FRA will require railroads to submit to the agency a public
version of the most recent bridge inspection report. Therefore, FRA is
requesting OMB approval as soon as possible (i.e., 7 days after
publication of this Notice) for this collection of information.
Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.167.
Affected Public: States/Political Subdivisions of States and
Businesses.
Respondent Universe: 50 States/State Political Subdivisions and 693
Railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion.
Reporting Burden
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Total annual Average time per Total annual
CFR section Respondent universe responses response burden hours
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NEW FAST ACT REQUIREMENTS:
--Form FRA F 6180.167........ 50 States/State 75 forms........... 5 minutes.......... 6
Political
Subdivision.
--Railroad Submission to FRA 693 Railroads...... 75 reports......... 60 minutes......... 75
of Bridge Inspection Report--
Public Version.
237.3--Notifications to FRA of 693 Railroads...... 15 notifications... 90 minutes......... 22.5
Assignment of Bridge
Responsibility.
--Signed Statement by 693 Railroads...... 15 signed 30 minutes......... 7.5
Assignee Concerning Bridge statements.
Responsibility.
237.9--Waivers--Petitions........ 693 Railroads...... 6 petitions........ 4 hours............ 24
23731/33--Development/Adoption of 693 Railroads...... 5 plans............ 24 hours........... 120
Bridge Management Program.
237.57--Designation of Qualified 693 Railroads...... 1,000 designations. 30 minutes......... 400
Individuals.
237.71--Determination of Bridge 693 Railroads...... 2,000 8 hours............ 16,000
Load Capacities. determinations.
237.73--Issuance of Instructions 693 Railroads...... 2,000 instructions. 2 hours............ 4,000
to Railroad Personnel by Track
Owner.
237.105--Special Bridge 693 Railroads...... 7,500 insp. and 12.50 hours........ 93,750
Inspections and Reports/Records. reports/records.
--Special Underwater 693 Railroads...... 50 insp. and 40 hours........... 2,000
Inspections. Reports/rcds.
237.107 and 237.109--Nationwide 693 Railroads...... 15,450 insp. & 4 hours............ 61,800
Annual Bridge Inspections-- reports.
Reports.
--Records.................... 693 Railroads...... 15,450 records..... 1 hour............. 15,450
--Report of Deficient 693 Railroads...... 50 reports......... 30 minutes......... 25
Condition on a Bridge.
237.111--Review of Bridge 693 Railroads...... 2,000 insp. rpt. 30 minutes......... 1,000
Inspection Reports by RR Bridge reviews.
Engineers.
--Prescription of Bridge 693 Railroads...... 200 insp. proc. 30 minutes......... 100
Insp. Procedure modifications.
Modifications After Review.
237.131--Design of Bridge 693 Railroads...... 1,250 designs...... 16 hours........... 20,000
Modifications or Bridge Repairs.
--Bridge Modification Repair 693 Railroads...... 1,250 br. mod. 1.50 hours......... 1,875
Reviews/Supervisory Efforts. repair reviews.
--Common Standard Designed by 693 Railroads...... 50 standards....... 24 hours........... 1,200
Railroad Bridge Engineer.
237.153--Audits of Inspections... 693 Railroads...... 725 insp. audits... 80 hours/24 hours/6 5,534
hours.
237.155--Documents and Records:
--Establishment of RR 693 Railroads...... 5 systems.......... 80 hours........... 400
Monitoring and Info.
Technology Security Systems
for Electronic Recordkeeping.
--Employees Trained in System 693 Railroads...... 100 employees...... 8 hours............ 800
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Total Estimated Responses for New FAST Act Requirements: 150.
Total Estimated Responses for Entire Information Collection:
49,271.
Total Estimated Total Annual Burden for New FAST Act Requirements:
81 hours.
Total Estimated Total Annual Burden Entire Information Collection:
224,689 hours.
Type of Request: Emergency Clearance to the revision of a currently
approved information collection.
Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b),
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.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2016.
Corey Hill,
Acting Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-02892 Filed 2-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P