2013-11792. Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

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 approval of the following proposed information collection activities. Before submitting this proposed information collection request (ICR) 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 July 16, 2013.

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, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590, or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., 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-New” and should also include the title of the collection of information. Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to [phone] or [phone], or via email to Mr. Brogan at [e-mail], or to Ms. Toone at [e-mail]. 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, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: [phone]) or Ms. Kimberly Toone, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: [phone]). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104-13, § 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. 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 proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:

Title: Electronic Device Distraction: Test of Peer to Peer Intervention Combined With Social Marketing.

OMB Control Number: 2130-New.

Abstract: Operating railroad equipment while being distracted by the use of electronic devices (e.g., phones, game consoles, personal computers, etc.) is known to be a factor in some accidents and suspected of being the cause of many others in the railroad industry. It is also known that such use is dangerous, as evidenced by several high profile accidents in the railroad industry, and by research on distraction in other transportation modes. Consequently, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have a keen interest in devising counter measures to reduce the incidence of electronic device distraction (EDD) in the railroad industry. One promising approach is to combine peer-to-peer conversations with an effort to change the culture with respect to the acceptability of EDD. FRA is initiating a small scale test of this approach at the Harrisburg Yard of the Norfolk Southern Railroad. As part of its efforts, an evaluation is taking place to determine if the approach works and what will be needed to scale it up to other sites in the railroad industry. As part of the test, it will be necessary to conduct face-to-face interviews with three respondent groups. They are: (1) Members of participating crafts and supervisors at the pilot site; (2) Norfolk Southern personnel involved in implementing and managing the pilot; (3) Project team members in the organizations contracted to assist with the pilot. The majority of interviews will be face-to-face.

Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.160.

Affected Public: Railroad Employees.

Respondent Universe: 480 Railroad Employees.

Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

Reporting Burden

Respondent group	Respondent universe	Total annual responses	Average time per response (minutes)	Total annual burden hours
Pilot Site Personnel	450 Railroad Employees	50 forms/questionnaires	30	25
Norfolk Southern Personnel involved in implementing and managing the pilot	15 Railroad Employees	15 forms/questionnaires	30	8
Project Team Members	15 AARs/Fulcrum/Aubrey Daniels Personnel	15 forms/questionnaires	30	8

Total Responses: 80.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 41 hours.

Type of Request: Approval of a New Information Collection.

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 May 8, 2013.

Rebecca Pennington,

Chief Financial Officer, Federal Railroad Administration.