[Federal Register: January 10, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 6)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 1184-1186]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ja07-18]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
49 CFR Part 225
[FRA-2006-26565, Notice No. 1]
Adjustment of Monetary Threshold for Reporting Rail Equipment
Accidents/Incidents for Calendar Year 2007
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident
reporting threshold from $7,700 to $8,200 for certain railroad
accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during
calendar year 2007. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's
reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since
the reporting threshold was last computed in 2005.
DATES: Effective Date: This regulation is effective January 1, 2007.
Applicability Date: The revised reporting threshold value of $8,200
is not applicable to 49 CFR part 219--Control of Alcohol and Drug Use,
and 49 CFR part 240--Qualification and Certification of Locomotive
Engineers, until January 10, 2007, due to delayed final rule
publication. Consequently, for purposes of 49 CFR parts 219 and 240
only, a rail equipment accident/incident should be considered
reportable under 49 CFR part 225, through January 9, 2007, if the
resultant damages are greater than $7,700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arnel B. Rivera, Staff Director,
Office of Safety Analysis, RRS-22, Mail Stop 17, FRA, 1120 Vermont
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 202-493-1331); or Sandra S.
Ries, Trial Attorney, Office of Chief Counsel, RCC-10, Mail Stop 10,
FRA, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 202-493-
6047).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
A ``rail equipment accident/incident'' is a collision, derailment,
fire, explosion, act of God, or other event involving the operation of
railroad on-track equipment (standing or moving) that results in
damages to railroad on-track equipment, signals, tracks, track
structures, or roadbed, including labor costs and the costs for
acquiring new equipment and material, greater than the reporting
threshold for the year in which the event occurs. 49 CFR 225.19(c).
Each rail equipment accident/incident must be reported to FRA using the
Rail Equipment Accident/Incident Report (Form FRA F 6180.54). 49 CFR
225.19(b) and (c). As revised, effective in 1997, paragraphs (c) and
(e) of 49 CFR 225.19 provide that the dollar figure that constitutes
the reporting threshold for rail equipment accidents/incidents will be
adjusted, if necessary, every year in accordance with the procedures
outlined in appendix B to part 225 to reflect any cost increases or
decreases. 61 FR 30940 (June 18, 1996); 61 FR 60632 (Nov. 29, 1996); 61
FR 67477 (Dec. 23, 1996); 62 FR 63675 (Dec. 2, 1997); 63 FR 71790 (Dec.
30, 1998); 64 FR 69193 (Dec. 10, 1999); 65 FR 69884 (Nov. 21, 2000); 66
FR 66346 (Dec. 26, 2001); 67 FR 79533 (Dec. 30, 2002); 70 FR 75414
(Dec. 20, 2005).
New Reporting Threshold
Approximately one year has passed since the rail equipment
accident/incident reporting threshold was revised. 70 FR 75414
(December 20, 2005). Consequently, FRA has recalculated the threshold,
as required by Sec. 225.19(c), based on increased costs for labor and
increased costs for equipment. FRA has determined that the current
reporting threshold of $7,700, which applies to rail equipment
accidents/incidents that occur during calendar year 2006, should
increase by $500 to $8,200 for equipment accidents/incidents occurring
during calendar year 2007, effective January 1, 2007. The specific
inputs to the equation set forth in appendix B (i.e., Tnew = Tprior *
[1 + 0.4(Wnew-Wprior)/Wprior + 0.6(Enew-Eprior)/100]) to part 225 are:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tprior Wnew Wprior Enew Eprior
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$7,700 $21.458 $21.0556305 169.7 160.1666667
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where: Tnew = New threshold; Tprior = Prior threshold (with reference
to the threshold, ``prior'' refers to the previous threshold rounded to
the nearest $100, as reported in the Federal Register); Wnew = New
average hourly wage rate, in dollars; Wprior = Prior average hourly
wage rate, in dollars; Enew = New equipment average PPI value; Eprior =
Prior equipment average PPI value. Using the above figures, the
calculated new threshold, (Tnew) is $8199.30, which is rounded to the
nearest $100 for a final new reporting threshold of $8,200.
Notice and Comment Procedures
In this rule, FRA has recalculated the monetary reporting threshold
based on the formula discussed in detail and adopted, after notice and
comment, in the final rule published December 20, 2005, 70 FR 75414.
FRA has found that both the current cost data inserted into this pre-
existing formula and the original cost data that they replace were
obtained from reliable Federal government sources. FRA has found that
this rule imposes no additional burden on any person, but rather
provides a benefit by permitting the valid comparison of accident data
over time. Accordingly, finding that notice and comment procedures are
either impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest,
FRA is proceeding directly to the final rule.
Regulatory Impact
Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures
This rule has been evaluated in accordance with existing policies
and procedures, and determined to be non-significant under both
Executive Order 12866 and DOT policies and procedures (44 FR 11034
(Feb. 26, 1979)).
[[Page 1185]]
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601-612) requires
a review of proposed and final rules to assess their impact on small
entities, unless the Secretary certifies that the rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Pursuant to Section 312 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), FRA has issued a final policy
that formally establishes ``small entities'' as including railroads
that meet the line-haulage revenue requirements of a Class III
railroad. 49 CFR part 209, app. C. For other entities, the same dollar
limit in revenues governs whether a railroad, contractor, or other
respondent is a small entity. Id.
About 662 of the approximately 699 railroads in the United States
are considered small entities by FRA. FRA certifies that this final
rule will have no significant economic impact on a substantial number
of small entities. To the extent that this rule has any impact on small
entities, the impact will be neutral or insignificant. The frequency of
rail equipment accidents/incidents, and therefore also the frequency of
required reporting, is generally proportional to the size of the
railroad. A railroad that employs thousands of employees and operates
trains millions of miles is exposed to greater risks than one whose
operation is substantially smaller. Small railroads may go for months
at a time without having a reportable occurrence of any type, and even
longer without having a rail equipment accident/incident. For example,
current FRA data indicate that 3,011 rail equipment accidents/incidents
were reported in 2003, with small railroads reporting 263 of them. In
2004, 3,373 rail equipment accidents/incidents were reported, and small
railroads reported 307 of them. Data for 2005 show that 3,223 rail
equipment accidents/incidents were reported, with small railroads
reporting 327 of them. In each of those three calendar years, small
railroads reported ten percent or less of the total number of rail
equipment accidents/incidents. FRA notes that these data are accurate
as of the date of issuance of this final rule, and are subject to minor
changes due to additional reporting. Absent this rulemaking (i.e., any
increase in the monetary reporting threshold), the number of reportable
accidents/incidents would increase, as keeping the 2006 threshold in
place would not allow it to keep pace with the increasing dollar
amounts of wages and rail equipment repair costs. Therefore, this rule
will be neutral in effect. Increasing the reporting threshold will
slightly decrease the recordkeeping burden for railroads over time. Any
recordkeeping burden will not be significant and will affect the large
railroads more than the small entities, due to the higher proportion of
reportable rail equipment accidents/incidents experienced by large
entities.
Paperwork Reduction Act
There are no new information collection requirements associated
with this final rule. Therefore, no estimate of a public reporting
burden is required.
Federalism Implications
Executive Order 13132, entitled, ``Federalism,'' issued on August
4, 1999, requires that each agency ``in a separately identified portion
of the preamble to the regulation as it is to be issued in the Federal
Register, provide[] to the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget a federalism summary impact statement, which consists of a
description of the extent of the agency's prior consultation with State
and local officials, a summary of the nature of their concerns and the
agency's position supporting the need to issue the regulation, and a
statement of the extent to which the concerns of the State and local
officials have been met * * * .'' This rulemaking action has been
analyzed in accordance with the principles and criteria contained in
Executive Order 13132. This rule will not have a substantial direct
effect on States, on the relationship between the National Government
and the States, or on the distribution of power and the
responsibilities among the various levels of government, as specified
in the Executive Order 13132. Accordingly, FRA has determined that this
rule will not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
consultation with State and local officials or the preparation of a
federalism assessment. Accordingly, a federalism assessment has not
been prepared.
Environmental Impact
FRA has evaluated this regulation in accordance with its
``Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts'' (FRA's Procedures)
(64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999) as required by the National Environmental
Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), other environmental statutes,
Executive Orders, and related regulatory requirements. FRA has
determined that this regulation is not a major FRA action (requiring
the preparation of an environmental impact statement or environmental
assessment) because it is categorically excluded from detailed
environmental review pursuant to section 4(c)(20) of FRA's Procedures.
64 FR 28545, 28547, May 26, 1999. In accordance with section 4(c) and
(e) of FRA's Procedures, the agency has further concluded that no
extraordinary circumstances exist with respect to this regulation that
might trigger the need for a more detailed environmental review. As a
result, FRA finds that this regulation is not a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Pursuant to Section 201 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Pub. L. 104-4, 2 U.S.C. 1531), each Federal agency ``shall, unless
otherwise prohibited by law, assess the effects of Federal regulatory
actions on State, local, and tribal governments, and the private sector
(other than to the extent that such regulations incorporate
requirements specifically set forth in law).'' Section 202 of the Act
(2 U.S.C. 1532) further requires that ``before promulgating any general
notice of proposed rulemaking that is likely to result in the
promulgation of any rule that includes any Federal mandate that may
result in expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments, in the
aggregate, or by the private sector, of [$128,100,000 or more (as
adjusted for inflation)] in any 1 year, and before promulgating any
final rule for which a general notice of proposed rulemaking was
published, the agency shall prepare a written statement'' detailing the
effect on State, local, and tribal governments and the private sector.
The final rule will not result in the expenditure, in the aggregate, of
$128,100,000 or more in any one year, and thus preparation of such a
statement is not required.
Energy Impact
Executive Order 13211 requires Federal agencies to prepare a
Statement of Energy Effects for any ``significant energy action.'' 66
FR 28355 (May 22, 2001). Under the Executive Order, a ``significant
energy action'' is defined as any action by an agency (normally
published in the Federal Register) that promulgates or is expected to
lead to the promulgation of a final rule or regulation, including
notices of inquiry, advance notices of proposed rulemaking, and notices
of proposed rulemaking: That (1)(i) is a significant regulatory action
under Executive Order 12866 or any successor order, and (ii) is likely
to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or
use of energy; or (2) that is designated by the Administrator of the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as a
[[Page 1186]]
significant energy action. FRA has evaluated this final rule in
accordance with Executive Order 13211. FRA has determined that this
final rule is not likely to have a significant adverse effect on the
supply, distribution, or use of energy. Consequently, FRA has
determined that this regulatory action is not a ``significant energy
action'' within the meaning of Executive Order 13211.
Privacy Act
Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all our comments
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 225
Investigations, Penalties, Railroad safety, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
The Rule
0
In consideration of the foregoing, FRA amends part 225 of chapter II,
subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:
PART 225--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for part 225 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 103, 322(a), 20103, 20107, 20901-02, 21301,
21302, 21311; 28 U.S.C. 2461, note; and 49 CFR 1.49.
0
2. Amend Sec. 225.19 by revising the first sentence of paragraph (c)
and revising paragraph (e) to read as follows:
Sec. 225.19 Primary groups of accidents/incidents.
* * * * *
(c) Group II--Rail equipment. Rail equipment accidents/incidents
are collisions, derailments, fires, explosions, acts of God, and other
events involving the operation of on-track equipment (standing or
moving) that result in damages higher than the current reporting
threshold (i.e., $6,700 for calendar years 2002 through 2005, $7,700
for calendar year 2006, and $8,200 for calendar year 2007) to railroad
on-track equipment, signals, tracks, track structures, or roadbed,
including labor costs and the costs for acquiring new equipment and
material. * * *
* * * * *
(e) The reporting threshold is $6,700 for calendar years 2002
through 2005, $7,700 for calendar year 2006, and $8,200 for calendar
year 2007. The procedure for determining the reporting threshold for
calendar years 2006 and beyond appears as paragraphs 1-8 of appendix B
to part 225.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 29, 2006.
Joseph H. Boardman,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E7-112 Filed 1-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P