Federal Railroad Administration March 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA will seek approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is issuing this notice to encourage development of high-speed rail (HSR) system projects intended for operations over 160 miles per hour by establishing a streamlined process for reviewing domestic sourcing and workforce plans. Specifically, this notice summarizes FRA's intent to invite HSR project sponsors to voluntarily submit for review, in advance of receipt of DOT funding, their domestic sourcing and workforce plans. This notice provides further clarification to the December 7, 2022, Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, which stated that FRA expects all applicants to comply with Buy America requirements without needing a waiver. However, to obtain a waiver, an applicant must be prepared to demonstrate how they will maximize the use of domestic goods, products, and materials in constructing their project. If an applicant anticipates it may need a waiver, the applicant should indicate the need in its application and submit materials necessary for such requests together with its application. This notice provides further detail on the recommended content of these materials. This notice also serves as an RFI to assist with planning a U.S. domestic content High Speed Rail Industry Exchange Day (Industry Day).

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that are final for the Western Rail Yard Infrastructure Project, Livingston Avenue Bridge Replacement Project, and the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway Congestion Mitigation Project. The purpose of this notice is to advise the public of the time limit to file any claims that may challenge these decisions and other Federal permits, licenses, and approvals for the Projects.

This document provides the public with notice that, on February 22, 2023, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA- approved Positive Train Control Implementation Plan (PTCIP). The RFA includes a petition seeking approval to discontinue or modify a signal system. On August 17, 2022, FRA approved, in part, SEPTA's RFA to its PTCIP; however, FRA did not provide a decision on SEPTA's request to discontinue or modify a portion of its signal system at that time as FRA must seek public comment on that aspect before issuing a decision.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise all interested stakeholders that it has issued, and made available on its website, updated civil penalty schedules and guidelines (Schedules) to account for inflation. This notice explains FRA's increase to its guideline rail safety civil penalty amounts. This notice also announces FRA's intent to adjust the civil penalty amounts line-by-line on an annual basis for inflation, after this adjustment.

This document provides the public with notice that, on February 28, 2023, Brightline Trains Florida, LLC (BLF) submitted its Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP), Version 1.0, dated January 30, 2023, to FRA's Secure Information Repository. BLF asks FRA to approve its PTCSP and certify BLF's Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) as a mixed PTC system.

This document provides the public with notice that, on February 1, 2023, BNSF Railway (BNSF) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP). As this RFA may involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTCSP.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA will seek approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.