Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance, 48292 [2021-18509]
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48292
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Notices
extensions or modifications if that
Agency determines that additional
extensions are needed.
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You are asked to comment on any
aspect of this information collection,
including: (1) Whether the proposed
collection is necessary for FMCSA to
perform its functions; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burden; (3) ways for
FMCSA to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected
information; and (4) ways that the
burden could be minimized without
reducing the quality of the collected
information.
Issued under the authority delegated
in 49 CFR 1.87.
Thomas P. Keane,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research
and Registration.
[FR Doc. 2021–18442 Filed 8–26–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2018–0100]
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Petition for Extension of Waiver of
Compliance
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice
that on July 27, 2021, Norfolk Southern
Corporation (NS) petitioned the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA) for an
amendment of a waiver of compliance
from certain provisions of the Federal
railroad safety regulations contained at
49 CFR part 232, Brake System Safety
Standards for Freight and Other NonPassenger Trains and Equipment; Endof-Train Devices. The relevant FRA
Docket Number is FRA–2018–0100.
Specifically, NS requests to amend an
existing waiver from the requirements of
49 CFR 232.203, Training requirements,
to allow electronic air brake test
refresher training via customized
simulation software in place of handson training. The current waiver applies
to conductors and supervisors and is
limited to an 18-month pilot program
for freight car repair personnel reporting
for duty at Birmingham, Alabama;
Elkhart, Indiana; Enola, Pennsylvania;
Kansas City, Missouri; Macon, Georgia;
Norfolk, Virginia; and Portsmouth,
Ohio.
As the pilot period has concluded, NS
requests to amend the waiver to allow
electronic air brake test training as an
optional replacement for hands-on
training for refresher training of freight
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:52 Aug 26, 2021
Jkt 253001
car repair personnel on the entire NS
system. In support of its request, NS
states that (1) all personnel intended for
inclusion have already received
electronic training; (2) feedback from
electronically-trained personnel has
been positive; (3) delivering training
electronically achieves safety benefits;
and (4) NS has improved the training
since the original pilot waiver was
granted.
A copy of the petition, as well as any
written communications concerning the
petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to
participate in these proceedings by
submitting written views, data, or
comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in
connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a
hearing. If any interested party desires
an opportunity for oral comment and a
public hearing, they should notify FRA,
in writing, before the end of the
comment period and specify the basis
for their request.
All communications concerning these
proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be
submitted at https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Communications received by October
12, 2021 will be considered by FRA
before final action is taken. Comments
received after that date will be
considered if practicable. Anyone can
search the electronic form of any written
communications and comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or signing the document, if
submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). Under 5
U.S.C. 553(c), the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) solicits comments
from the public to better inform its
processes. DOT posts these comments,
without edit, including any personal
information the commenter provides, to
www.regulations.gov, as described in
the system of records notice (DOT/ALL–
14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
See also https://www.regulations.gov/
privacy-notice for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety,
Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021–18509 Filed 8–26–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–06–P
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2018–0049]
Petition for Extension of Waiver of
Compliance
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice
that on August 18, 2021, BNSF Railway
(BNSF) petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for an expansion
of a waiver of compliance from certain
provisions of the Federal railroad safety
regulations contained at 49 CFR part
232, Brake System Safety Standards for
Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains
and Equipment; End-Of-Train Devices.
The relevant FRA Docket Number is
FRA–2018–0049.
The existing waiver provides BNSF
certain relief from 49 CFR 232.15,
Movement of defective equipment; 49
CFR 232.103(f), General requirements
for all train brake systems; and 49 CFR
232.213, Extended haul trains; and a
statutory exemption from the
requirements of title 49, United States
Code section 20303. BNSF renews its
request to expand the scope of the
waiver to include coal trains operating
over the Pikes Peak Subdivision in
Colorado and across the Sand Hills
Subdivision in Nebraska.1
On April 12, 2019, FRA granted BNSF
a test waiver to conduct a pilot program
on a segment of its system to
‘‘demonstrate that the use of wheel
temperature detectors to prove brake
health effectiveness (BHE) will improve
safety, reduce risks to employees, and
provide cost savings to the industry.’’
BNSF asserts the expansion would
improve train braking performance and
safety by reducing brake pipe air losses
on all BNSF coal trains (particularly
important during winter operations),
and accomplish the following goals:
• Validation of braking performance
of BNSF coal trains moving south
through Colorado and east through
Alliance, Nebraska;
• Improvement of the braking
performance of individual cars
identified with cold or hot wheels;
• Increased testing of car brake
systems with Automatic Single Car Test
(ASCT) devices;
1 BNSF initially requested expansion of the
waiver on March 18, 2021. See https://
www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2018-00490018. Public notice of the request was issued on
April 5, 2021. See https://www.regulations.gov/
document/FRA-2018-0049-0021. By letter dated
May 5, 2021, BNSF requested an initial 30-day hold
on processing the petition. See https://
www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2018-00490022.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 164 (Friday, August 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 48292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18509]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA-2018-0100]
Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this
document provides the public notice that on July 27, 2021, Norfolk
Southern Corporation (NS) petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) for an amendment of a waiver of compliance from
certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained
at 49 CFR part 232, Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other
Non-Passenger Trains and Equipment; End-of-Train Devices. The relevant
FRA Docket Number is FRA-2018-0100.
Specifically, NS requests to amend an existing waiver from the
requirements of 49 CFR 232.203, Training requirements, to allow
electronic air brake test refresher training via customized simulation
software in place of hands-on training. The current waiver applies to
conductors and supervisors and is limited to an 18-month pilot program
for freight car repair personnel reporting for duty at Birmingham,
Alabama; Elkhart, Indiana; Enola, Pennsylvania; Kansas City, Missouri;
Macon, Georgia; Norfolk, Virginia; and Portsmouth, Ohio.
As the pilot period has concluded, NS requests to amend the waiver
to allow electronic air brake test training as an optional replacement
for hands-on training for refresher training of freight car repair
personnel on the entire NS system. In support of its request, NS states
that (1) all personnel intended for inclusion have already received
electronic training; (2) feedback from electronically-trained personnel
has been positive; (3) delivering training electronically achieves
safety benefits; and (4) NS has improved the training since the
original pilot waiver was granted.
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications
concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party
desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and
specify the basis for their request.
All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the
appropriate docket number and may be submitted at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Communications received by October 12, 2021 will be considered by
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date
will be considered if practicable. Anyone can search the electronic
form of any written communications and comments received into any of
our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), the U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT) solicits comments from the public to
better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit,
including any personal information the commenter provides, to
www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice for the
privacy notice of regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-18509 Filed 8-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
