FRA is issuing this Safety Advisory to
make recommendations to enhance the mechanical safety of the tank
cars in trains transporting large quantities of Class 3 flammable
liquids. This Safety Advisory recommends that railroads use highly
qualified individuals to conduct the brake and mechanical
inspections required by Federal regulation and recommends a
reduction to the impact threshold levels the industry currently
uses for wayside detectors that measure wheel impacts to ensure the
wheel integrity of tank cars in those trains. The information
collected will be used by ensure compliance with Federal law and
regulations and by tank car owners to make mechanical wheel
changes.
FRA is requesting
Emergency processing one week (May 4, 2015) after publication of
the required Federal Register Notice on April 27, 2015, See 80 FR
23326, because FRA cannot reasonably comply with normal clearance
procedures on account of use of normal clearance procedures is
reasonably likely to disrupt the collection of information.
Additionally, in light of recent tank car accidents/incidents
carrying crude oil and other hazardous materials, FRA believes
safety is an issue. The FRA Safety Advisory took effect immediately
upon issuance. FRA cannot wait the normal 90- to 180-day period for
routine Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review and approval.
Under the FRA Safety Advisory, the agency recommends that railroads
use highly qualified individuals to conduct brake and mechanical
inspections and recommends a reduction to the impact threshold
levels the industry currently uses for wayside detectors that
measure wheel impacts to ensure the wheel integrity of tank cars
utilized in high-hazard flammable trains. The associated collection
of information is essential to effecting the recommended change to
the impact threshold for affected parties (railroads and tank car
owners) and to ensuring the necessary inspections are being carried
out. Therefore, FRA is requesting OMB approval of this collection
of information immediately.
US Code:
49
USC 20103 Name of Law: Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970
These are new information
collection requirements. By definition, this entire submission is a
program change. As stated in the Summary provided on page 1 of this
document, the total number of hours that FRA is requesting by OMB
for this Emergency Processing submission is 6,333 hours and the
total number of responses requested is 351,000. Further, as noted
in the Summary on page 1, upon OMB's Emergency Clearance for 180
days, FRA will initiate necessary steps to obtain regular Clearance
of this proposed information collection. There is no additional
cost to respondents besides the burden hours detailed in the answer
to question number 12 above. Since this is a new collection of
information, there are no program changes.
$0
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Karl Alexy 202 493-6245
No
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.
49 CFR 215.doc
Safety Advisory 2015-01 (FINAL).pdf
FRA Safety Advisory 2015-01