The collection of information is set forth under 49 CFR part 212, and requires qualified State inspectors to provide various reports to FRA for monitoring and enforcement purposes concerning State investigative, inspection, and surveillance activities regarding railroad compliance with Federal railroad safety laws and regulations. Additionally, under 49 CFR part 209, subpart E, railroads are required to report to FRA actions taken to remedy certain alleged violations of law. This collection of information is mandatory, collected as needed, and it involves reporting requirements.
This submission is an extension without change (with changes in estimates) of a currently approved ICR. FRA has made multiple adjustments to its estimated paperwork burden that has decreased the previously approved burden hours from 11,958 hours to 9,851 hours and the responses from 24,066 to 23,225.
FRA previously combined the burden estimates for several sections and reported the combined burden under 49 U.S.C. 20105, the statute that authorizes Part 212. Updated estimates are now provided on a section-by-section basis. Additionally, § 212.109 has been removed from this ICR because it was recently repealed by FRA as obsolete. Because it was obsolete and required no actual information collection even before it was repealed, removing § 212.109 from this ICR does not affect the overall PRA burden under Part 212. This decrease, after a thorough review, is the result of the changes described in the following sections summarized below:
⢠FRA reduced the estimated number of annual violation reports submitted by State inspectors in various disciplines from 1,154 to 690 violation reports. Accordingly, the estimated burden hours for these reports were decreased by 1,856.
⢠For violation report challenges authorized under § 209.405(b), FRA adjusted the estimated number of challenges from 240 to 50 annually. This adjustment more accurately reflects the estimated number of burden hours, decreasing the burden by 143.
⢠Under § 209.407, Delayed reports, FRA decreased the estimated number of reports from 240 to 50 annually, reducing the reported burden by 143 hours.
These revised estimates contributed to an overall reduction of 2,107 burden hours and 841 responses.
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.
Reporting of Remedial Actions - § 209.405