30-Day Federal Register Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 181 / Monday, September 21, 2009 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information, including a list of
the exhibit object, contact Julie
Simpson, Attorney-Adviser, Office of
the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of
State (telephone: 202–632–6467). The
address is U.S. Department of State, L/
PD, SA–5, 2200 C Street, NW., Suite
5H03, Washington, DC 20522–0505.

Dated: September 11, 2009.
Maura M. Pally,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional
and Cultural Exchanges, Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department
of State.
[FR Doc. E9–22536 Filed 9–18–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA–2009–0001–N–23]

Notice and Request for Comments
Federal Railroad
Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.

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AGENCY:

SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice
announces that the Information
Collection Requirement (ICR) abstracted
below has been forwarded to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and comment. The ICR describes
the nature of the information collection
and its expected burden. The Federal
Register notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting comments on the
following collection of information was
published on July 6, 2009 (74 FR
32029).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before October 21, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Robert Brogan, Office of Safety,
Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS–
21, Federal Railroad Administration,
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 3rd Floor,
Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590
(telephone: (202) 493–6292), or Ms.
Nakia Jackson, Office of Information
Technology, RAD–20, Federal Railroad
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave.,
SE., 3rd Floor, Mail Stop 35,
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202)
493–6073). (These telephone numbers
are not toll-free.)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), Public Law No. 104–13, Section
2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as
revised at 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), and its
implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part

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1320, require Federal agencies to issue
two notices seeking public comment on
information collection activities before
OMB may approve paperwork packages.
44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5,
1320.8(d)(1), 1320.12. On July 6, 2009,
FRA published a 60-day notice in the
Federal Register soliciting comment on
this ICR that the agency was seeking
OMB approval. 74 FR 32029. FRA
received one comment—a letter—in
response to this notice.
The letter came from Mr. Freddie
Simpson, President of the Brotherhood
of Maintenance of Way Employees
Division of the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED).
BMWED is a rail labor organization
representing approximately 36,000
railroad workers who build, maintain,
repair and inspect tracks, bridges, and
related railroad infrastructure
throughout North America. In his
remarks, Mr. Simpson stated the
following:
In response to the Proposed Agency
Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request published in the Federal Register on
July 6, 2009, (Volume 74, Number 127, pages
32029–32030) BMWED supports the
proposed study and related information
collection activities. As such, BMWED
respectfully requests OMB approval.

BMWED offers the following
comments in support:
• The proposed collection of information
is necessary for the Department to fulfill its
Congressional mandate under the RSIA to
conduct a track inspection time study. This
information is necessary to evaluate the
conditions under which visual track
inspections are conducted and to develop a
report to the Congress responsive to Section
403 of the RSIA.
• The collected information will have
practical utility to the Secretary of
Transportation and the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) in their analysis of
track inspection issues within the industry.
• The Department’s estimates of burden
hours and costs are reasonable.
• The methodology proposed for this
information collection activity is suitable and
appropriate for the study and the respondent
population and will facilitate the collection
of data with high utility.
• The proposed information collection
activity has been designed to be minimally
burdensome on respondents and the
proposed information collection activity is of
limited duration.
Visual track inspections conducted under
49 CFR Parts 213.233, 213.235 and 213.365
play a vital and integral role in maintaining
track structural integrity and the safety of
railroad operations. BMWED believes that the
‘‘Track Transportation [track inspection]
Time Study, OMB Control Number: 2130–
NEW, Docket No. FRA–2009–0001–N–16’’ is
necessary to allow the Secretary to fulfill the
Congressional mandate of Section 403 of the
RSIA to: (1) determine whether the required

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intervals of track inspections for each class
of track should be amended; (2) determine
whether track remedial action requirements
should be amended; (3) determine whether
different track inspection and repair
priorities or methods should be required; and
(4) determine whether the speed at which
railroad track inspection vehicles operate and
the scope of the territory they generally cover
allow for proper inspection of the track and
whether such speed and appropriate scope
should be regulated by the Secretary.

FRA received no other comments in
response to this notice. Accordingly,
DOT announces that these information
collection activities have been evaluated
and certified under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and
forwarded to OMB for review and
approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.10(a).
Before OMB decides whether to
approve these proposed collections of
information, it must provide 30 days for
public comment. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b); 5
CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires
OMB to approve or disapprove
paperwork packages between 30 and 60
days after the 30 day notice is
published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)–(c); 5 CFR
1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983,
Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30
day notice informs the regulated
community to file relevant comments
and affords the agency adequate time to
digest public comments before it
renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug.
29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should
submit their respective comments to
OMB within 30 days of publication to
best ensure having their full effect. 5
CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983,
Aug. 29, 1995.
The summary below describes the
nature of the information collection
requirement (ICR) and the expected
burden for the ICR being submitted for
clearance by OMB as required by the
PRA.
Title: Track Transportation Time
Study.
OMB Control Number: 2130–New.
Type of Request: Regular Approval of
a New Collection of Information.
Affected Public: Track Inspectors/
Track Inspector Supervisors/Division
and Chief Engineers
Abstract: The Rail Safety
Improvement Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110–
432) calls for a track inspection time
study to be performed by FRA. The
information required to develop the
report will be at least partially obtained
through a series of information
gathering surveys which are focused on
various aspects of track inspection. Each
survey will be customized for a
particular segment of the workforce and
will include track inspectors, track
supervisors or roadmasters, middle
management (division engineers), and
senior management (chief engineers).

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 181 / Monday, September 21, 2009 / Notices

The purpose of the proposed study is
to address four issues raised in the Rail
Safety Improvement Act: (1.) Determine
whether the required intervals of track
inspections for each class of track
should be amended; (2.) Determine
whether track remedial action
requirements should be amended; (3.)
Determine whether different track
inspection and repair priorities or
methods should be required; and (4.)
Determine whether the speed at which
railroad track inspection vehicles
operate and the scope of the territory
they generally cover allow for proper
inspection of the track and whether
such speed and appropriate scope
should be regulated by the Secretary.
Form Number(s): FRA F 6180.136;
FRA F 6180.137.
Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 133
hours.
Addressee: Send comments regarding
this information collection to the Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget, 725
Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk Officer.
Comments may also be sent via e-mail
to OMB at the following address:
[email protected].
Comments are invited on the
following: Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Department, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; the accuracy of the
Department’s estimate of the burden of
the proposed information collection;
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
A comment to OMB is best assured of
having its full effect if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication of this
notice in the Federal Register.

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Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520.
Issued in Washington, DC on September
14, 2009.
Kimberly Orben,
Director, Office of Financial Management,
Federal Railroad Administration.
[FR Doc. E9–22583 Filed 9–18–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket Number FRA–2009–0080]

Notice of Application for Approval of
Discontinuance or Modification of a
Railroad Signal System or Relief From
the Requirements of Title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations Part 236
Pursuant to Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Part 235 and 49
U.S.C. 20502(a), the following railroad
has petitioned the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) seeking approval
for the discontinuance or modification
of the signal system or relief from the
requirements of 49 CFR part 236 as
detailed below.
Applicant: Canadian National Railway,
Southern Region, Mr. Mark Ryon,
Senior Manager Signal and
Communications, 17641 South
Ashland Avenue, Homewood, Illinois
60430.
The Canadian National Railway (CN)
seeks approval of the proposed
discontinuance and removal of the
traffic control system (TCS) from
Milepost (MP) 8.7 to MP 11.8, on the
Elsdon Subdivision, Chicago, Illinois, to
include the control signals and the
conversion of the power-operated
switch to hand-operation at Elsdon
control point, MP 8.7. TCS is to be
replaced with the extension of CN Rule
520 from MP 8.7 to MP11.8. The
application includes the removal of the
signals No. 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the railroadat-grade crossing on the connection
track. Railroad-at-grade signals to be
replaced with gate and stop signs on
connection track to govern movement
over the diamond.
Nine signals, including automatic
signals No. 102 and 103, are to be
removed and the power-operated switch
is to be converted to hand-operation.
The power-operated switch provides for
movement from the main track to the
connection track.
The reason given for the proposed
changes is that there have been no train
movements on the connection track in
over 5 years with any plans for future
use.
Any interested party desiring to
protest the granting of an application
shall set forth specifically the grounds
upon which the protest is made and
include a concise statement of the
interest of the party in the proceeding.
Additionally, one copy of the protest
shall be furnished to the applicant at the
address listed above.
FRA expects to be able to determine
these matters without an oral hearing.
However, if a specific request for an oral

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hearing is accompanied by a showing
that the party is unable to adequately
present his or her position by written
statements, an application may be set
for public hearing.
All communications concerning this
proceeding should be identified by
Docket Number FRA–2009–0080 and
may be submitted by one of the
following methods:
• Web site: http://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
on the DOT electronic site;
• Fax: 202–493–2251;
• Mail: Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590; or
• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 of
the U.S. Department of Transportation
West Building Ground Floor, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC,
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Communications received within 45
days of the date of this notice will be
considered by FRA before final action is
taken. Comments received after that
date will be considered as far as
practicable. All written communications
concerning these proceedings are
available for examination during regular
business hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) at the
above facility. All documents in the
public docket are also available for
inspection and copying on the Internet
at the docket facility’s Web site at
http://www.regulations.gov.
FRA wishes to inform all potential
commenters that anyone is able to
search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our
dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the
comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on April 11, 2000
(Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477–
78).
Issued in Washington, DC on September
14, 2009.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety
Standards and Program Development.
[FR Doc. E9–22596 Filed 9–18–09; 8:45 am]
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