2015-19213. Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

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 an extension for the following currently approved information collection activities. On July 24, 2015, FRA received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for its Emergency Processing request for the collection of information titled Positive Train Control (PTC) Implementation Status Update Questionnaire. The information collection activities associated with the PTC Questionnaire received a six-month emergency approval from OMB and expires on January 31, 2016. FRA seeks a regular clearance (extension of the current approval for three additional years) so that its personnel can continue to monitor affected railroads implementation of Positive Train Control on their mainline systems beyond the statutory and regulatory deadline of December 31, 2015. Additionally, FRA needs to continue to collect this information for compliance purposes and to help inform grant decisions by its Office of Railroad Policy and Development. Before submitting these information collection requirements 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 October 5, 2015.

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 17, 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 2130-0612.” 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 17, 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, sec. 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 the following: (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 currently approved information collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:

Title: Positive Train Control (PTC) Implementation Status Update Questionnaire.

OMB Control Number: 2130-0612.

Abstract: The statutory and regulatory deadline for Positive Train Control (PTC) system implementation is December 31, 2015. Congress and FRA are concerned that the railroads will not make the mandated deadline. To date, the vast majority of railroads have not submitted, in accordance with 49 CFR 236.1009 and 236.1015, a PTC Safety Plan (PTCSP) and have not submitted, in accordance with 49 CFR 236.1035, a request for testing approval to support a PTCSP, which is necessary to achieve PTC System Certification and operate in revenue service. So that Congress and FRA may better understand the status of each railroad's implementation efforts and be able to monitor affected railroads progress on a continuing basis until full implementation is achieved, FRA is seeking accurate and up-to-date information under its investigative authority pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 20103, 20107, and 20902, and 49 CFR 236.1009(h). The railroads' responses will also be used for compliance purposes.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Frequency of Submission: Monthly.

Respondent Universe: 38 Railroads.

Reporting Burden:

Positive train control (PTC) implementation status update	Respondent universe (railroads)	Total annual responses (forms)	Average time per response (minutes)	Total annual burden hours
Questionnaire	38	456	10	76

Form Number(s): Form FRA F 6180.162.

Total Estimated Responses: 456.

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 76 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.

Rebecca Pennington,

Chief Financial Officer.