Federal Railroad Administration September 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The hours of service laws are Federal railroad safety laws that govern such matters as the maximum on-duty periods and minimum off-duty periods for railroad employees performing certain functions. In this document FRA supplements its existing interpretations of the hours of service laws by stating the agency's interim position on some additional interpretive questions primarily involving two provisions of those laws that were added in 2008. First, this document further interprets the hours of service laws related to train employees, particularly the ``consecutive-days'' provision of those laws. Although the consecutive-days provision was also discussed in FRA's June 2009 interim interpretations and February 2012 final interpretations, this document addresses the application of that provision to certain circumstances that were not specifically addressed in those interpretations. Second, this document further interprets the provision of the hours of service laws that makes signal employees operating motor vehicles subject to the hours of service laws and other hours of service requirements administered by FRA and exempt from the hours of service requirements promulgated by any other Federal authority. FRA invites public comment on these additional interim interpretations.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA is rescinding the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev Project in cooperation with the project sponsor, the Nevada Department of Transportation. FRA published the original NOI in the Federal Register on May 20, 2004. This rescission is due to inactivity of this PEIS process for more than five years.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise other agencies and the public that FRA and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) will jointly prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) program also known as the ACEforward Program in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EIS will analyze potential impacts of the proposed action of improving and expanding existing corridor rail service between Stockton and San Jose, California and extending new rail service to Modesto and Merced, California. FRA has responsibility for overseeing the safety of railroad operations and may need to take certain regulatory action prior to operation of the new or expanded service. FRA is authorized to provide Federal funding for intercity passenger rail capital investments and may provide financial assistance for the program, including grant funding. FRA will serve as the federal lead agency for the preparation of the EIS. SJRRC will serve as the state lead agency for the preparation of the EIR. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has responsibility for providing Federal funding for intra-city commuter rail capital investments and has funded improvements in this corridor in the past, including intermodal stations and park-and-ride lots. Since FTA maintains an interest in transportation improvements in the corridor, it will be a cooperating agency in accordance with 40 CFR 1501.6. FRA is publishing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by the FRA, SJRRC and their representatives will be considered in the preparation of the EIR/EIS.