2011-23007. Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Federal Railroad Administration.

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 renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. 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 November 7, 2011.

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 2130-0571.” Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to [phone] or [phone], or via e-mail 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 currently approved information collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA:

Title: Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating Employees.

OMB Control Number: 2130-0571.

Abstract: The collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement—by specified dates—noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and audiometric testing programs, as well as hearing conservation training programs, to protect their employees against the damaging and potentially dangerous effects of excessive noise in the everyday rail environment.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Respondent Universe: 460 railroads.

Frequency of Submission: On occasion.

Reporting Burden:

CFR Section	Respondent universe	Total annual responses	Average time per response	Total annual burden hours
227.9—Waivers	460 Railroads	5 petitions	60 minutes	5 hours.
227.103—Noise Monitoring Program	460 Railroads	460 programs	2 hours/8 hours 600 hours	5,165 hours.
—Notification of Employee of Monitoring	460 Railroads	905 lists	30 minutes	453 hours.
227.107—Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)	460 railroads	461 HCPs	150 hrs/2 hrs/31 hrs	2,875 hours.
—Revised Hearing Conservation Programs (HCPs)	460 railroads	92 HCPs	/7.5 hours 1.74 hours	160 hours.
227.109—Audiometric Testing Program—Existing Employees—Baseline Audiograms	78,000 Employees	60,000 audiograms + 6,000 a-grams	7 minutes + 25 minutes	7,000 hours + 2,500 hours.
—Periodic Audiograms	78,000 Employees	8,000 a-grams 2,330 eval. + 93 retests	25 minutes 6 min./2.5 hrs	3,333 hours.
—Evaluation of Audiograms				466 hours.
—Problem Audiograms	78,000 Employees	45 documents 93 notices	10 minutes 15 minutes	8 hours 24 hours.
—Follow-up Procedures—Notifications
—Fitting/Training of Employees: Hearing Protectors	8,000 Employees	240 tr. session	2 minutes	8 hours.
—Referrals For Clinical/Otological Examinations	8,000 Employees	20 referrals	2 hours	40 hours.
—Notification to Employee of Need: Otological Examination	240 Employees	20 notices	5 minutes	2 hours.
—New Audiometric Interpretation	240 Employees	20 notices	5 minutes	2 hours.
227.111—Audiometric Test Requirements	1,000 Mobile Vans	1,000 tests	45 minutes	750 hours.
227.117—Hearing Protection Attenuation—Evaluation	460 Railroads	50 evaluations	30 minutes	25 hours.
—Re-Evaluations	460 Railroads	10 reevaluations	30 minutes	5 hours.
227.119—Hearing Conservation Training Program—Development	460 Railroads/AAR	441 programs	8 hours/2 hours/116 hours/1 hour 30 minutes	706 hours.
—Employee Training	460 Railroads	26,000 tr. Empl		13,000 hours.
—Periodic Training	460 Railroads	7,000 tr. Empl.	30 minutes	3,500 hours.
227.121—Record Keeping—Authorization: Records	460 Railroads	10 requests + 10 Responses	10 min. + 15 min.	5 hours.
—Request for Copies of Reports	460 Railroads	150 requests + 150 resp.	21 min. + 45 min.	166 hours.
—Records Transfer When Carrier Becomes Defunct	460 Railroads	10 records	24 minutes	4 hours.
—Railroad Audiometric Test Records	460 Railroads	26,000 records	2 minutes	867 hours.
—Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) Records	460 Railroads	54,000 records	45 seconds	675 hours.
—HCP Training Records of Employees	460 Railroads	26,000 records	30 seconds	217 hours.
—Records: Standard Threshold Shifts of Employees	460 Railroads	280 records	7 minutes	33 hours.
229.121—Locomotive Cab Noise—Tests/Certifications	3 Equipment Manufacturers	700 tests/rcds.	40 min. + 5 min.	111 hours.
—Equipment Maintenance: Excessive Noise Reports	460 Railroads	3,000 reports + 3,000 records	10 min. + 5 min.	750 hours.
—Maintenance Records	460 Railroads	3,750 records	8 minutes	500 hours.
—Internal Auditable Monitoring Systems	570 Railroads	570 systems	36 min. + 8.25 hours	572 hours.
Appendix H—Static Test Protocols/Records	700 Locomotives	2 retests + 2 records	35 min. + 5 min.	1 hour.

Total Responses: 230,919.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 43,928 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 September 2, 2011.

Kimberly Coronel,

Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad Administration.