Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before December 1, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR should be submitted on regulations.gov to the docket, Docket No. FRA–2023–0002. All comments received will be posted without change to the docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to the assigned OMB control number (2130–0565) in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this notice in a subsequent notice, made available to the public, and include them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: arlette.mussington@dot.gov or telephone: (571) 609–1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: joanne.swafford@dot.gov or telephone: (757) 897–9908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The PRA, 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 to allow comment on information collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. See44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the activities will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. See44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).

FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, comments received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in a “user-friendly” format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. See44 U.S.C. 3501.

The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB clearance as the PRA requires:

Title: Safety Appliance Concern Recommendation Report, Safety Appliance Standards Guidance Checklist Forms.

OMB Control Number: 2130–0565.

Abstract:Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 231, Railroad Safety Appliance Standards, was supplemented and expanded in 2013 to include the industry standard established by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), Standard 2044 or S–2044, which prescribed safety appliance arrangements for 11 new types of cars. As a result of the inclusion, FRA developed Forms FRA F6180.161(a)–(k) as guidance checklist forms to facilitate railroad, rail car owner, and rail equipment manufacturer compliance with S–2044 and 49 CFR part 231. AAR has since updated S–2044 to include seven new types of cars.

In this 60-day notice, FRA made no adjustments to the previously approved burden hours and responses in the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) inventory.

Type of Request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Form(s): 18 forms (FRA F 6180.161(a)–(r)).

Respondent Universe: Car manufacturers/State inspectors.

Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

Reporting Burden:

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 142.

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 142 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: $13,061.

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 that does not display a currently valid OMB control number.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520.