The proposed collection of information
complies with a statutory mandate, and will be used by FRA to
review grant applications to determine whether the requirements and
criteria established by the Railroad Safety Improvement Act (RSIA)
and agency guidelines are met to award $50 million in grant funds
that will be used for development of PTC technologies.
FRA is requesting that
OMB grant Emergency Clearance processing for FRAs Information
Collection Request (ICR) related to its Notice of Funding
Availability and Solicitation of Applications for Grants under the
Railroad Safety Technology Program for the following reasons: (1.)
The program, for which this ICR is being submitted, is a new
program mandated by Congress as part of the RSIA. Because of the
nature of these funds, current economic conditions, statutory
imperatives, state of technology development, and the various
passenger and freight rail carriers, railroad suppliers, and State
and local governments need for immediate assistance to quickly
resolve critical and complex technology issues associated with
deployment of PTC by December 31, 2015, it would be impossible for
FRA to go through normal clearance procedures. FRA needs sufficient
time to review applications and to resolve the highly complex
technology issues involved. Any delay in receiving and reviewing
applications would cause FRA to miss the Congressional RSIA
deadline. Further, FRA is unable to go through normal clearance
procedures without great public harm resulting in the form of
increased numbers of rail accidents/incidents and corresponding
increases in rail injuries and fatalities that could have been
avoided if PTC technologies had been implemented. Congress
specifically funded this grant program in FY 2010 after no funds
had been requested by the Administration in FY 2009 and FY 2010
because it deemed it urgent that railroads implement PTC
technologies as soon as practicable to prevent any more devastating
accidents like the one that happened in Chatsworth, California.
(2.) There has been a high level of interest expressed in
discussions with the agency that FRA move quickly to make awards
under this new program. FRA has been contacted by numerous State
and local departments of transportation, publicly owned passenger
and commuter railroads, and freight railroads that are responsible
for installation of PTC by December 31, 2015. They have inquired
about the status of this new program, and requested that the
application and award process begin at the earliest possible date.
Only through the granting of the Emergency Clearance processing
request will FRA be able to act in a timely manner to assist States
and affected communities, and thereby meet the demands of the
stakeholders in this critically important safety program. Finally,
it needs to be noted that applications for grant funding will be
open for a short period of time (until July 1, 2010, or the date on
which all available funds have been committed) with the funds
expected to be obligated soon thereafter.
This is a new collection of
information resulting from the Congressional mandate under the Rail
Safety Improvement Act (Sec. 105; 49 U.S.C. 20158). Consequently,
there are no program changes or adjustments.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Notice of Funds Availability and Solicitation of Applications for Grants under the Railroad Safety Technology Grant Program