FRA is issuing this Safety Advisory to remind railroads operating high hazard flammable trains and offerors of Class 3 flammable liquids transported on such trains that certain information may be required by PHMSA and/or FRA personnel during the course of an investigation immediately following a train accident. The information collected will used by PHMSA/FRA investigators and other accident investigators to determine the cause(s) and/or contributing causes to a HHFT train derailment. The information collected will also be used to help emergency responders understand the dangers and risks posed at the accident site and surrounding environment.
FRA is requesting Emergency processing one week after (May 4, 2015) publication of the required Federal Register Notice on April 27, 2015, See 80 FR 23327, 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 Joint Safety Advisory took effect immediately upon issuance. FRA cannot wait the normal 90- to180-day period for routine Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review and approval. Under the Joint Safety Advisory, railroads/stakeholder are required to maintain and make available records concerning hazardous materials transportation in accordance with law and DOT regulations, and the Advisory also recommends that railroads/stakeholders make certain information available as expeditiously as possible during the course of an investigation. The recordkeeping information specified in this Joint Safety Advisory is likely to prove critically important to PHMSA and FRA personnel who request it during the course of an accident investigation. Therefore, FRA is requesting OMB approval of this collection of information immediately.
US Code:
49 USC 20107
Name of Law: Federal Railroad Safety Authorization Act of 1994
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 100 hours and the total number of responses requested is 50.
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. And, thus 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.