[Federal Register: February 22, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 34)]
[Notices]
[Page 8662-8664]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22fe05-165]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its
implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently
approved information collection activities. Before submitting these
information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on
specific aspects of the activities identified below.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than April 25, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following
proposed activities by mail to either: 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, 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. Commenters
requesting FRA to acknowledge receipt of their respective comments must
include a self-addressed stamped postcard stating, ``Comments on OMB
control number 2130-0533.'' Alternatively, comments may be transmitted
via facsimile to (202) 493-6230 or (202) 493-6170, or e-mail to Mr.
Brogan at
robert.brogan@fra.dot.gov, or to Ms. Steward at debra.steward@fra.dot.gov. Please refer to the assigned OMB control
number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments
received in response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include
them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning
and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1120
Vermont Ave., NW., Mail Stop 17, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493-6292) or 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),
Public Law 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 provide 60-days 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.
[[Page 8663]]
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.
Below is a brief summary of the currently approved ICRs that FRA
will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:
Title: Qualifications For Locomotive Engineers.
OMB Control Number: 2130-0533.
Abstract: Section 4 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 1988
(RSIA), Public Law 100-342, 102 Stat. 624 (June 22, 1988), later
amended and re-codified by Public Law 103-272, 108 Stat. 874 (July 5,
1994), required that FRA issue regulations to establish any necessary
program for certifying or licensing locomotive engineers. The
collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads
employ and properly train qualified individuals as locomotive engineers
and designated supervisors of locomotive engineers. The collection of
information is also used by FRA to verify that railroads have
established required certification programs for locomotive engineers
and that these programs fully conform to the standards specified in the
regulation.
Affected Public: Businesses.
Respondent Universe: 685 railroads.
Frequency of Submission: On occasion; annually; tri-annually.
Reporting Burden:
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Respondent Total annual Average time Total annual Total annual
CFR section universe responses per response burden hours burden cost
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240.9--Waivers............... 685 railroads.. 5 waivers...... 1 hour......... 5 $170
240.101/103--Cert. Prog.-- 675 railroads.. 675 amendments. 15 minutes..... 169 5,746
Amendmnts.
--Cert. Prog.--New....... 10 railroads... 10 programs.... 200 hours/40 1,840 62,560
hours.
--Final Review........... 10 railroads... 10 reviews..... 1 hour......... 10 340
--Nonconforming Program-- 685 railroads.. 1 amended 15 minutes..... .25 9
Amend. program.
--Material Modific....... 685 railroads.. 6 modified 45 minutes..... 5 170
program.
240.105(a)--Selection 10 railroads... 10 reports..... 1 hour......... 10 490
Criteria for DSLE's--Rpts.
(b) Approval Plan-- 685 railroads.. 75 amendments.. 1 hour......... 75 2,550
Amendments.
240.109--Candidate's written 13,333......... 133 responses.. 30 minutes..... 67 3,149
comments on prior safety
data.
240.111/App C--Driver's 13,333 13,333 requests 15 minutes..... 3,333 156,651
License Data. candidates.
--NDR Match-- 685 railroads.. 267 response + 30 minutes..... 134 5,427
notifications and 267 requests.
requests for data.
--Written response from 685 railroads.. 40 cases/ 15 minutes..... 10 470
candidate on driver's comments.
lic. data.
240.111(g)--Notice to RR of 40,000 4 letters...... 15 minutes..... 1 47
Absence of License. candidates.
240.111(h)--Duty to furnish 685 railroads.. 400 phone calls 10 minutes..... 67 3,149
data on prior safety conduct
as motor vehicle op..
240.113--Notice to RR 13,333 267 requests + 15 min./30 min. 200 7,671
Furnishing Data on Prior candidates. 267 responses.
Safety Conduct--Diff. RR.
240.119--Self-referral to EAP 40,000 100 self- 5 minutes...... 22 376
re: active substance abuse locomotive referrals.
disorder. engineers.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/ 10 railroads... 10 copies...... 15 minutes..... 3 102
Hearing Acuity Data--New
Railroads.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/ 685 railroads.. 17 reports..... 1 hour......... 17 578
Hearing Acuity Data--Cond.
Certification.
240.121--Criteria--Vision/ 685 railroads.. 10 15 minutes..... 3 141
Hearing Acuity Data--Not notifications.
Meeting Standards.
240.201/221--List of 685 railroads.. 685 updates.... 15 minutes..... 171 5,814
Certified Loco. Engineers.
240.201/221--List of 685 railroads.. 685 updated 15 minutes..... 171 5,814
Qualified DSLEs. lists.
240.201/223/301--Loco. 40,000 13,333 5 minutes...... 1,111 37,774
Engineers Certificate. candidates. certificates.
--False entry on 685 railroad; 2 5 minutes...... 17 8
certificates. 40,000 falsifications.
engineers.
240.201/223--List of Des. 685 railroads.. 20 lists....... 15 minutes..... 5 170
Persons Authorized to Sign
DSLE Certificate.
240,205--Data to EAP 685 railroads.. 267 records.... 5 minutes...... 22 1,034
Counselor.
240.207--Medical Certificate. 40,000 13,333 70 minutes..... 15,555 1,555,500
candidates. certificates.
--Written determinations 685 railroads.. 10 2 hours........ 20 2,000
waiving use of determinations.
corrective device.
240.219--Denial of 13,333 75 letters + 75 1 hour......... 150 6,075
Certification. candidates. responses.
--Notification........... 685 railroads.. 75 1 hour......... 75 2,550
notifications.
240.227--Canadian Canadian 200 15 minutes..... 50 1,700
Certification Data. railroads. certifications.
240.229--Requirements For 321 railroads.. 184 calls...... 5 minutes...... 15 705
Joint Operations.
240.309--RR Oversight Resp.: 15 railroads... 10 annotations. 15 minutes..... 3 147
Poor Safety Conduct--Noted.
Testing Rqmnts.
240.209/213--Written Tests... 40,000 13,333 tests... 2 hours........ 26,666 906,644
candidates.
[[Page 8664]]
240.211/213--Perf. Test...... 40,000 13,333......... 2 hours........ 26,666 906,644
candidates.
240.303--Annual operational 40,000 40,000 tests/ 2 hours........ 80,000 3,920,000
monitor observation. candidates. docs.
240.303--Annual operating 40,000 40,000 tests... 1 hour......... 40,000 1,960,000
rules compliance test. candidates.
Recordkeeping
240.215--Retaining Info. 685 railroads.. 13,333 records. 10 minutes..... 2,222 75,548
Supporting Determination.
240.305--Engineer's Notice of 40,000 10 5 minutes...... 1 47
Non-Qualific. engineers notifications.
candidates.
--Relaying Non-qual. 800 engineers.. 2 letters...... 30 minutes..... 1 47
Status to other
certifying railroad.
240.307--Notice to Engineer 685 railroads.. 500 letters.... 1 hour......... 500 17,000
of Disqualification.
240.309--Railroad Annual 42 railroads... 42 reviews..... 80 hours....... 3,360 188,160
Review.
--Report of findings..... 42 railroads... 6 reports...... 1 hour......... 6 336
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Total Responses: 165,420.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 202,741 hours.
Status: Regular Review.
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 15, 2005.
Kathy A. Weiner,
Director, Office of Information Technology and Support Systems, Federal
Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-3375 Filed 2-18-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P