Federal Railroad Administration 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, this document provides notice that FRA is submitting the following 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 a quarterly form. FRA requests regular processing and OMB authorization to collect the information on the quarterly form identified below 30 days after publication of this notice for a period of three years.

Under with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks renewal of six currently-approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements (ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewed approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in this notice.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO or notice) details the application requirements and procedures for obtaining grant funding for eligible projects under the Railroad Safety Infrastructure Improvement Grant program. The opportunities described in this notice are available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 20.301, ``Rail Safety Grants.''

This notice details the application requirements and procedures for obtaining funding for eligible Railroad Safety Technology Grant projects. The opportunities described in this notice are available under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 20.321, ``Railroad Safety Technology.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking an extension of the following currently approved information collection activities. On February 19, 2016, FRA published in the Federal Register its request for Emergency Clearance for new Form FRA F 6180.167, Bridge Inspection Report Public Version Request Form. See 81 FR 8588. The information collection activities associated with Form FRA F 6180.167 received a six-month emergency approval from OMB on February 25, 2016. FRA seeks a regular clearance (extension of the current approval for three years) to continue this effort to provide a means for a State or a political subdivision of a State to obtain a public version of a bridge inspection report generated by a railroad for a bridge located within their respective jurisdiction. 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.

FRA announces the twentieth anniversary and fifty-fifth meeting of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (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. Status reports will be provided by the Remote Control Locomotive, Track Standards, Hazardous Materials Issues, and Rail Integrity Working Groups. A status report will also be provided by the Engineering Task Force. This agenda is subject to change, including the possible addition of further proposed tasks.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the renewal Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collections of information was published on December 29, 2015.

FRA proposes regulations establishing minimum requirements for the size of train crew staffs depending on the type of operation. A minimum requirement of two crewmembers is proposed for all railroad operations, with exceptions proposed for those operations that FRA believes do not pose significant safety risks to railroad employees, the general public, and the environment by using fewer than two-person crews. This proposed rule would also establish minimum requirements for the roles and responsibilities of the second train crewmember on a moving train, and promote safe and effective teamwork. Additionally, FRA co-proposes two different options for situations where a railroad wants to continue an existing operation with a one-person train crew or start up an operation with less than two crewmembers. Under both co- proposal options, a railroad that wants to continue an existing operation or start a new operation with less than a two-person train crew would be required to describe the operation and provide safety- related information to FRA; however, proposed Option 1 includes an FRA review and approval period lasting up to 90 days while Option 2 proposes permitting such operations to initiate or continue without a mandatory FRA review and approval waiting period or while such review is taking place. For start-up freight operations with less than two crewmembers, proposed Option 2 also requires a statement signed by the railroad officer in charge of the operation certifying a safety hazard analysis of the operation has been completed and that the operation provides an appropriate level of safety.

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, this document provides notice that FRA is submitting the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect information on Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation on an annual form and a quarterly form. FRA requests emergency processing and OMB authorization to collect the information on the annual form identified below five business days after publication of this Notice for a period of 180 days. FRA requests regular processing and OMB authorization to collect the information on the quarterly form identified below 90 days after publication of this Notice for a period of three years.

FRA is amending its regulations to address changes in deadlines for positive train control (PTC) system implementation required by the Positive Train Control Enforcement and Implementation Act of 2015. FRA is also making conforming amendments and removing portions of its PTC regulations that are no longer applicable.

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 requests (ICRs) for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

FRA hereby gives notice that 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. FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information identified below seven days after publication of this Notice for a period of 180 days.

In this final rule, FRA is revising and clarifying existing regulations related to the use of glazing materials in the windows of locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses. This final rule reduces paperwork and other economic burdens on the rail industry by removing a stenciling requirement for locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses that are required to be equipped with glazing. This final rule also clarifies the application of the regulations to older equipment and to the end locations of all equipment to provide more certainty to the rail industry and more narrowly address FRA's safety concerns. In addition, this final rule clarifies the definition of passenger car, updates the rule by removing certain compliance dates that are no longer necessary, and, in response to comments on the proposed rule, modifies the application of the regulations to passenger cars and cabooses in a railroad's fleet that are used only for private transportation purposes and to older locomotives used in incidental freight service.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA is seeking an extension of the following currently approved information collection. On December 28, 2015, FRA published a Notice in the Federal Register stating that FRA was submitting an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for new Form FRA F 6180.164, Positive Train Control Implementation Plan (PTCIP) Template, under the PRA Emergency Processing procedures. See 80 FR 80876. On January 6, 2016, OMB granted FRA's request for Emergency Processing approval for a period of 180 days. FRA now seeks a Regular clearance (extension of the current approval from 180 days to three years) to continue this effort to assist railroads in submitting revised PTCIPs to FRA as Congress mandated under amendments to 49 U.S.C. 20157. Before submitting the ICR requirements for OMB clearance, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the ICR, as identified below.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the renewal Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collections of information was published on October 19, 2015.