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 Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration [Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-33]
 AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
 ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
 SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
 DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before February 16, 2021.
 ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR to Ms. Hodan Wells, Information Collection Clearance Officer at email: 
                        *hodan.wells@dot.gov*
                         or telephone: (202) 493-0440. Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
                    *See*44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
                    *See*44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1). FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in a “user-friendly” format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. 
                    *See*44 U.S.C. 3501. The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB clearance as the PRA requires: *Title:*
                     Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating Employees. *OMB Control Number:*
                     2130-0571. *Abstract:*Title 49 CFR part 227 contains requirements for occupational noise exposure. FRA uses the collection of information to ensure that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and audiometric testing programs to protect their employees against the harmful effects of excessive noise in the workplace. Additionally, railroads must maintain testing and training records on noise and hearing conservation. Further, railroads must make exposure measurement records for specific locations available to regional or national labor representatives upon request. *Type of Request:*
                     Extension with change (estimates) of a currently approved collection. *Affected Public:*
                     Businesses (Railroads, railroads equipment manufacturers). *Form(s):*
                     N/A. *Respondent Universe:*
                     512 railroads. *Frequency of Submission:*
                     On occasion. Reporting Burden: CFR Section 1
Respondent universe 
                             (railroads)
Total Annual 
                             responses
Average time per 
                             response
Total annual burden hours
Total cost equivalent 2227.13—Waivers
512 railroads
.3 petition letters
1 hour
.3
$23227.103(a)-(f)—Noise monitoring program—Development and implementation
512 railroads
5 programs
30 hours
150
18,000—(g) Reporting of monitoring results—Notification of employee of monitoring
512 railroads
5 lists
30 minutes
3
231227.107(a)—Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)—Development of programs
512 railroads
3 HCPs
31 hours
93
11,160—Revised hearing conservation programs (HCPs)
512 railroads
3 HCPs
1.75 hours
5
385227.109(e)—Audiometric testing program—Baseline audiograms—New and existing employees
76,244 employees
6,862 records of tests
30 seconds
57
4,389( print page 82578)—(f) Periodic audiograms
76,244 employees
25,415 records of tests
30 seconds
212
16,324—(g)(1)-(2) Evaluation of audiograms
76,244 employees
2,330 ratings + 93 records of retests
6 minutes + 30 seconds
234
18,018—(g)(3) Review of problem audiograms
8,000 employees
45 documents
10 minutes
8
616— (h)(1) Follow-up procedures—notifications
8,000 employees
93 notices
5 minutes
8
616—(h)(2)(i)-(ii) Fitting/training of employees: hearing protectors
240 employees
240 documenting training sessions
5 minutes
20
1,540— (h)(2)(iii) Referrals for clinical/otological exam
240 employees
20 referrals
1 hour
20
1,540— (h)(2)(iv) Notification to employee of need for otological examination
240 employees
20 notices
5 minutes
2
154— (h)(3) New audiometric interpretation
240 employees
20 notices
5 minutes
2
154227.111—Audiometric test requirements
1,000 mobile vans
1,000 records of tests
30 seconds
8
616227.117(a)—Hearing protection attenuation— evaluation
512 railroads
50 evaluations
30 minutes
25
1,925— (d) Reevaluations of adequacy of hearing protection attenuation when employee noise exposure increases
512 railroads
10 documented re-evaluations
30 minutes
5
385227.119—Hearing Conservation Training Program—Development
512 railroads
3 training program modifications
60 minutes
3
231—Employee HCP training
512 railroads
26,000 records of trainings
2 minutes
867
66,759—Periodic training
512 railroads
6,862 records of trainings
2 minutes
229
17,633227.121(a)(1)(i)-(ii)—Recordkeeping—Availability of records upon request
512 railroads
30 requests + 30 responses
10 minutes + 15 minutes
13
1,001—(a)(1)(iv) Availability of exposure measurement records to regional or national labor representatives upon request
512 railroads
150 requests + 150 responses
21 minutes + 45 minutes
165
12,705—(a)(2)-(3) Electronic records—Maintenance and transfer of records
512 railroads
10 records
24 minutes
4
308—(c) Audiometric test records
512 railroads
26,000 records
2 minutes
867
66,759—(d) Positions and person designated records
512 railroads
54,000 records
45 seconds
675
51,975229.121(a)—Locomotive Cab Noise—Performance standards for locomotives—Records and certification
3 equipment manufacturers
610 records + 90 certifications
5 minutes + 40 minutes
111
8,547—(b)(3) Maintenance of locomotives—Excessive noise reports
494 railroads
3,000 reports + 3,000 records
1 minute + 1 minute
100
7,700—(b)(4) Recordkeeping—Written or electronic records
494 railroads
3,750 records
1 minute
63
4,851—(b)(4)(iii) Internal auditable monitoring systems—Records
494 railroads
22 systems + 2 systems
36 min + 8.25 hours
30
2,310Appendix H(IV)—Static noise test protocols—Records for retest
500 locomotives
2 retest records
5 minutes
.2
15Total
512 railroads
159,927 responses
N/A
3,980
316,871
 *Total Estimated Annual Responses:*
                     159,927. *Total Estimated Annual Burden:*
                     3,980 hours. *Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:*
                     $316,871. Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA informs all interested parties that a respondent is not required to respond to, conduct, or sponsor a collection of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control number. Authority:
                    44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. Brett A. Jortland, Deputy Chief Counsel.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         The current inventory exhibits a total burden of 28,311 hours while the total burden of this notice is 3,980 hours. FRA determined some of the estimates were not derived from PRA requirements, thus leading to the increased figures in the current inventory, which were decreased accordingly in this notice. Also, totals may not add due to rounding. 2.
    
                         The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the Surface Transportation Board's Full Year Wage A&B data series using the appropriate employee group hourly wage rate that includes a 75-percent overhead charge. Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2020-27925 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-06-P