[Federal Register: March 27, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 59)]
[Notices]
[Page 15038-15039]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27mr03-90]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Notice and Request for Comments
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Requirement (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected
burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was
published on January 14, 2003 (68 FR 61884).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 28, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Safety,
Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC
20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292), or Ms. Debra Steward, Office of
Information Technology and Productivity Improvement, RAD-20, Federal
Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 35,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6139). (These telephone
numbers are not toll-free.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
Pub. L. 104-13, section 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 January 14, 2003, FRA published a 60-day notice in the
Federal Register soliciting comment on ICRs that the agency was seeking
OMB approval. See 68 FR 1884. FRA received no comments after issuing
the 60-day notice referenced earlier. Accordingly, DOT announces that
these information collection activities have been re-evaluated and
certified under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 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 summaries below describe 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: U.S. DOT Crossing Inventory Form.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0017.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Railroads.
Abstract: Form FRA F 6180.71 is a voluntary form and is used by
States and railroads to periodically update certain site specific
highway-rail crossing information which is then transmitted to FRA for
input into the National Inventory File. This information has been
collected on the U.S. DOT-AAR Crossing Inventory Form (previous
designation of this form) since 1974 and maintained in the National
Inventory File database since 1975. The primary purpose of the National
Inventory File is to provide for the existence of a uniform database
which can be merged with accidents data and used to analyze information
for planning and implementation of crossing safety programs by public,
private, and governmental agencies responsible for highway-rail
crossing safety. Following the official establishment of the National
Inventory in 1975, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) assumed
the principal responsibility as custodian for the maintenance and
continued development of the U.S. DOT/AAR National Highway-Rail
Crossing Inventory Program. The major goal of the Program is to provide
Federal, State, and local governments, as well as the railroad
industry, information for the improvement of safety at highway-rail
crossings. Good management practices necessitate maintaining the
database with current information. The data will continue to be useful
only if maintained and updated as inventory changes occur. FRA
previously cleared the reporting and recordkeeping burden for this form
under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Clearance Number 2130-0017.
OMB approved the burden for this form through March 31, 2003. FRA is
requesting a new three year approval from OMB for this information
collection.
Annual Estimated Burden Hours: FRA estimates that the revised
burden for these ICRs is 1,487 hours. The total recordkeeping and
reporting burden for this information collection will actually decline
by 1,617 hours from the previous total of 3,104 hours. The reduction in
burden is due to a large increase in the estimated number of electronic
records which will be kept over the next three years.
Addressee: Send comments regarding this information collection 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 are invited on the following: 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.
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.
[[Page 15039]]
Issued in Washington, DC on March 21, 2003.
Kathy A. Weiner,
Director, Office of Information Technology and Support Systems, Federal
Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-7296 Filed 3-26-03; 8:45 am]
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