05-21250. Agency Request for Emergency Processing of Collection of Information by the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

FRA hereby gives notice that it has submitted the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information identified below on or before October 31, 2005, for a period of 180 days after the date of issuance of this notice in the Federal Register. A copy of this individual ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling FRA's clearance officers, Robert Brogan (telephone number [phone]) or Victor Angelo (telephone number [phone]; these numbers are not toll-free), or by contacting Mr. Brogan via facsimile at [phone] or Mr. Angelo via facsimile at [phone], or via e-mail by contacting Mr. Brogan at [e-mail]. or by contacting Mr. Angelo at [e-mail]. Comments and questions about the ICR identified below should be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for FRA.

Title: FRA Emergency Order No. 24, Notice No. 1.

Reporting Burden

Emergency order item No.	Respondent universe	Total annual responses	Average time per response	Total annual burden hours	Total annual burden cost
(1)—Instruction On Railroad Operating Rule—Operation of manual main track in non-signal territory	685 Railroads; 100,000 employees	100,000 instruction sessions	60 minutes	100,000	$4,700,000.
—Instruction Records	685 Railroads	100,000 records	2 minutes	3,333	126,654.
(2) Hand-Operated Main Track Switches—Confirmation of Switch Position	6,000 Dispatchers	60,000 verbal confirmations	30 seconds	500	20,500.
—Review of SPAF by Train Dispatcher	6,000 Dispatchers	15,000 reviews	10 seconds	42	1,974.
(3) Switch Position Awareness Form (SPAF)	100,000 employees	20,000 forms	3 minutes	1,000	47,000.
(4) Job Briefings	100,000 employees	60,000 briefings	1 minute	1,000	47,000.
(5) Radio Communication—Crewmember communication with engineer	100,000 employees	60,000 verbal communications	15 seconds	250	11,750.
—Notation of Inoperable Radio on SPAF	900,000 Crew members	500 form entries	5 seconds	3	141.
(6) Operational Tests and Inspections	685 Railroads	Burden Covered Under OMB No. 2130-0035	Burden Covered Under OMB No. 2130-0035	Burden Covered Under OMB No. 2130-0035	Burden Covered Under OMB No. 2130-0035.
(7) Distribution of Emergency Order—Copies to Employees	685 Railroads; 100,000 Employees	100,000 copies	2 seconds	56	2,128.
—Written Receipt and Acknowledgment of Copy	685 Railroads; 100,000 Employees	100,000 receipts + 100,000 records	1 second + 1 second	56	2,380.
(8) Relief—Petitions For Special Approval	685 Railroads	10 petitions	60 minutes	10	380.

Form Number(s): N/A.

Respondent Universe: 685 Railroads; 100,000 Railroad Employees.

Frequency of Submission: One-time; On occasion.

Total Responses: 715,510.

Total Annual Estimated Burden: 106,250 hours.

Status: Emergency Review.

Description: FRA has determined that public safety compels the issuance of Emergency Order No. 24 and necessitates this collection of information in order that railroads modify their operating rules and take certain other actions necessary to ensure that their employees who operate hand-operated main track switches in non-signaled territory restore the switches to their proper (normal) position after use. The Emergency Order is intended to reduce the risk of serious injury or death both to railroad employees and the general public.

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 October 19, 2005.

Belinda Ashton,

Acting Director, Office of Budget, Federal Railroad Administration.