Federal Railroad Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the proposed information collection activities abstracted below. However, before submitting this proposed information collection request (ICR) to OMB for clearance, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

This document provides the public with notice that on August 12, 2016 Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) submitted to FRA its Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) Version 1.0, dated August 12, 2016, on FRA's Secure Information Repository (SIR) site. NS asks FRA to approve its PTCSP and issue a Positive Train Control System Certification for NS's Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS), under 49 CFR part 236, subpart I.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of proposed information collection activities listed below. Before submitting these information collection requests (ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities, which are identified in this notice.

Through this NOI, FRA announces it will prepare a Programmatic EIS and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) jointly with the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the Coachella ValleySan Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service (Project). FRA, RCTC, and Caltrans will develop the Programmatic EIS/EIR in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). FRA invites the public and Federal, state, and local agencies to provide input into the scope of the EIS/ EIR and will consider all information from outreach activities when preparing the EIS/EIR. The Project will study options for providing intercity passenger rail service between the cities of Los Angeles and Indio, California also known as the Coachella ValleySan Gorgonio Pass Corridor (the Corridor).

FRA hereby gives notice it is submitting the following Information Collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Emergency processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations. FRA requests that OMB authorize the proposed collection of information identified below on October 18, 2016, for a period of 180 days.

On September 30, 2016, FRA issued a Railworthiness Directive (Directive or RWD) to all owners of Department of Transportation (DOT) specification 111 general purpose tank cars. This document announces FRA's issuance of the RWD and its availability on FRA's Web site.

This document provides public notice of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad Corporation's (NERR) submission to FRA of its Positive Train Control Development Plan (PTCDP) Revision 2.5, dated June 22, 2016, and the availability of NERR's PTCDP for public comment. NERR requests that FRA approve its PTCDP, which describes NERR's Argenia Railway Technologies' Positive Train Control System (SafeNet System) as required under FRA regulations.

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, this document provides notice that FRA is submitting an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect information on railroads' implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) systems on an annual form entitled the Annual PTC Progress Report Form (Form FRA F 6180.166).

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the proposed information collection activities described below. Before submitting the proposed information collection requests (ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities, which are identified in this notice.

This document provides the public with notice that the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) submitted to FRA its Positive Train Control (PTC) Safety Plan (PTCSP) Version 1.0, dated June 1, 2016. UP requests that FRA approve its PTCSP and issue a PTC System Certification for UP's Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS).

FRA announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the Long Bridge Project jointly with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). The Long Bridge Project (Proposed Action) consists of potential improvements to bridge and related railroad infrastructure located between the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Crystal City Station in Arlington, Virginia and Control Point (CP) Virginia in Washington, DC. FRA and DDOT will develop the EIS in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. FRA and DDOT invite the public and Federal, state, and local agencies to provide comments on the scope of the EIS, including the purpose and need; alternatives to analyze; environmental effects to consider and evaluate; methodologies to use for evaluating effects; and the approach for public and agency involvement.

On June 22, 2016, FRA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would implement a pilot program for competitive selection of eligible petitioners in lieu of Amtrak to operate not more than three long-distance routes operated by Amtrak. FRA is announcing a public hearing to provide interested persons an opportunity to provide oral comments on the proposal. FRA is also announcing an extension of the comment period for this proceeding to allow time for interested parties to submit written comments in response to views or information provided at the public hearing.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the renewal of the information collection requirements (ICRs) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and expected burdens. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the ICRs was published on May 3, 2016.

FRA announces the fifty-sixth meeting of the RSAC, a Federal Advisory Committee that develops railroad safety regulations through a consensus process. The RSAC meeting topics will include opening remarks from the FRA Administrator and the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer. The Remote Control Locomotive, Track Standards, Hazardous Materials Issues, and Rail Integrity Working Groups, and Engineering Task Force will provide status reports. Informational presentations will be provided on the high-speed passenger rail equipment (Tier III) rulemaking; the System Safety Plan rulemaking; the status of Positive Train Control implementation; the Maintenance-of-Way, Drug and Alcohol, and Roadway Worker Protection final rules; and the potential certification of dispatchers and signal maintainers. This agenda is subject to change, including the adding more proposed tasks.

This notice details the application requirements and procedures to obtain funding for the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) systems required under the Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2008, as amended by the Positive Train Control Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015. The opportunities described in this notice are available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 20.321, ``Positive Train Control.'' FRA will review applications for funding under this NOFO and will select the projects for funding. FTA will award the grant funds and administer and manage the grants after award. FRA will help FTA monitor the PTC implementation and progress of the grantees. In addition, applicants should contact FRA with PTC technical questions.

To comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, FRA is adjusting the minimum penalty, ordinary maximum penalty, and the aggravated maximum penalty that it will apply when assessing a civil monetary penalty for a knowing violation of the Federal hazardous material transportation laws or a regulation, special permit, order, or approval issued under those laws. The aggravated maximum penalty is available only for a violation that results in death, serious illness, or severe injury to any person or substantial destruction of property. In particular, FRA is increasing the minimum penalty for a training violation from $450 to $463; the ordinary maximum civil monetary penalty per violation from $75,000 to $77,114; and the aggravated maximum civil penalty from $175,000 to $179,933.

On May 9, 2016, FRA published a NOI announcing its intent to jointly prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) for the San Francisco to San Jose Section of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR) System, Blended System Project (Blended System Project or Project) and requesting public comments. Through this notice, FRA is extending the comment period and inviting the public and all interested parties to provide comments on the scope of the EIR/EIS, including the proposed purpose and need, the alternatives to consider, potential environmental impacts of concern, and methodologies for analysis of impacts.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public it intends to grant Palmetto Railways a waiver from FRA's Buy America requirement to use four (4) wide-span, electric, rail-mounted gantry cranes (WSCs).

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public it intends to grant the City of Sacramento, California, Department of Public Works (Sacramento), a waiver from FRA's Buy America requirement to use Walton Cirrus Original Brown #3665 (Brown Marmoleum), in the Sacramento Valley Station Phase II intermodal project.