702 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 6, 2021 / Notices 

1These criteria may be found in APPENDIX A TO 

PART 391—MEDICAL ADVISORY CRITERIA, 

section H. Epilepsy: § 391.41(b)(8), paragraphs 3, 4, 

and 5, which is available on the internet at https:// 

www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol5/pdf/ 

CFR-2015-title49-vol5-part391-appA.pdf. 

level of safety that is equivalent to, or 

greater than, the level that would be 

achieved absent such exemption. The 

statute also allows the Agency to renew 

exemptions at the end of the 5-year 

period. FMCSA grants medical 

exemptions from the FMCSRs for a 2- 

year period to align with the maximum 

duration of a driver’s medical 

certification. 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding epilepsy found in 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(8) states that a person 

is physically qualified to drive a CMV 

if that person has no established 

medical history or clinical diagnosis of 

epilepsy or any other condition which 

is likely to cause the loss of 

consciousness or any loss of ability to 

control a CMV. 

In addition to the regulations, FMCSA 

has published advisory criteria 1 to 

assist medical examiners in determining 

whether drivers with certain medical 

conditions are qualified to operate a 

CMV in interstate commerce. 

The 10 individuals listed in this 

notice have requested renewal of their 

exemptions from the epilepsy and 

seizure disorders prohibition in 

§ 391.41(b)(8), in accordance with 

FMCSA procedures. Accordingly, 

FMCSA has evaluated these 

applications for renewal on their merits 

and decided to extend each exemption 

for a renewable 2-year period. 

III. Request for Comments 

Interested parties or organizations 

possessing information that would 

otherwise show that any, or all, of these 

drivers are not currently achieving the 

statutory level of safety should 

immediately notify FMCSA. The 

Agency will evaluate any adverse 

evidence submitted and, if safety is 

being compromised or if continuation of 

the exemption would not be consistent 

with the goals and objectives of 49 

U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA 

will take immediate steps to revoke the 

exemption of a driver. 

IV. Basis for Renewing Exemptions 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315(b), each of the 10 applicants 

has satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

epilepsy and seizure disorders 

prohibition. The 10 drivers in this 

notice remain in good standing with the 

Agency, have maintained their medical 

monitoring and have not exhibited any 

medical issues that would compromise 

their ability to safely operate a CMV 

during the previous 2-year exemption 

period. In addition, for Commercial 

Driver’s License (CDL) holders, the 

Commercial Driver’s License 

Information System and the Motor 

Carrier Management Information System 

are searched for crash and violation 

data. For non-CDL holders, the Agency 

reviews the driving records from the 

State Driver’s Licensing Agency. These 

factors provide an adequate basis for 

predicting each driver’s ability to 

continue to safely operate a CMV in 

interstate commerce. Therefore, FMCSA 

concludes that extending the exemption 

for each renewal applicant for a period 

of 2 years is likely to achieve a level of 

safety equal to that existing without the 

exemption. 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315(b), the following groups of 

drivers received renewed exemptions in 

the month of January and are discussed 

below. 

As of January 1, 2021, and in 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), the following eight 

individuals have satisfied the renewal 

conditions for obtaining an exemption 

from the epilepsy and seizure disorders 

prohibition in the FMCSRs for interstate 

CMV drivers: 

Scott D. Engelman (PA) 

Scott I. Habeck (SD) 

Todd W. Hines (OH) 

Jordan M. Hyster (OH) 

Everett J. Letourneau (ND) 

Scott A. Ready, Sr. (WI) 

Douglas J. Simms, Jr. (NC) 

Ronald E. Wagner (OH) 

The drivers were included in docket 

number FMCSA–2015–0323, FMCSA– 

2016–0007, FMCSA–2016–0008, 

FMCSA–2018–0051, FMCSA–2018– 

0052, and FMCSA–2018–0056. Their 

exemptions are applicable as of January 

1, 2021, and will expire on January 1, 

2023. 

As of January 1, 2021, and in 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), the following two individuals 

have satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

epilepsy and seizure disorders 

prohibition in the FMCSRs for interstate 

CMV drivers: 

Brian Porter (PA) 

Michael W. Thomas (KS) 

The drivers were included in docket 

number FMCSA–2006–25854 and 

FMCSA–2010–0203. Their exemptions 

are applicable as of January 15, 2021, 

and will expire on January 15, 2023. 

V. Conditions and Requirements 

The exemptions are extended subject 

to the following conditions: (1) Each 

driver must remain seizure-free and 

maintain a stable treatment during the 

2-year exemption period; (2) each driver 

must submit annual reports from their 

treating physicians attesting to the 

stability of treatment and that the driver 

has remained seizure-free; (3) each 

driver must undergo an annual medical 

examination by a certified ME, as 

defined by § 390.5; and (4) each driver 

must provide a copy of the annual 

medical certification to the employer for 

retention in the driver’s qualification 

file, or keep a copy of his/her driver’s 

qualification file if he/she is selfemployed. The driver must also have a 

copy of the exemption when driving, for 

presentation to a duly authorized 

Federal, State, or local enforcement 

official. The exemption will be 

rescinded if: (1) The person fails to 

comply with the terms and conditions 

of the exemption; (2) the exemption has 

resulted in a lower level of safety than 

was maintained before it was granted; or 

(3) continuation of the exemption would 

not be consistent with the goals and 

objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b). 

VI. Preemption 

During the period the exemption is in 

effect, no State shall enforce any law or 

regulation that conflicts with this 

exemption with respect to a person 

operating under the exemption. 

VII. Conclusion 

Based on its evaluation of the 10 

exemption applications, FMCSA renews 

the exemptions of the aforementioned 

drivers from the epilepsy and seizure 

disorders prohibition in § 391.41(b)(8). 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315(b), each exemption will be 

valid for 2 years unless revoked earlier 

by FMCSA. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–29258 Filed 1–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

[Docket FTA–2021–0001] 

Notice of Establishment of Emergency 

Relief Docket for Calendar Year 2021 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: By this notice, the Federal 

Transit Administration (FTA) is 

establishing an Emergency Relief Docket 

for calendar year 2021, so that grant 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 6, 2021 / Notices 703 

recipients and sub-recipients affected by 

a national or regional emergency or 

disaster may request temporary relief 

from FTA administrative and statutory 

requirements. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Bonnie L. Graves, Attorney-Advisor, 

Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Transit 

Administration, 90 Seventh Street, Ste. 

15–300, San Francisco, CA 94103; 

phone: (202) 366–0944, fax: (415) 734– 

9489, or email, Bonnie.Graves@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Pursuant to 49 CFR 601.42, FTA is 

establishing the Emergency Relief 

Docket for calendar year 2021. In the 

case of a national or regional emergency 

or disaster, or in anticipation of such an 

event, when FTA requirements impede 

a recipient or sub-recipient’s ability to 

respond to the emergency or disaster, a 

recipient or sub-recipient may submit a 

request for relief from specific FTA 

requirements. 

If FTA determines that a national or 

regional emergency or disaster has 

occurred, or in anticipation of such an 

event, FTA will place a message on its 

web page (http://www.transit.dot.gov) 

indicating that the Emergency Relief 

Docket has been opened and including 

the docket number. 

All petitions for relief from FTA 

administrative or statutory requirements 

must be posted in the docket in order to 

receive consideration by FTA. The 

docket is publicly available and can be 

accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a 

week, via the internet at 

www.regulations.gov. Any recipient or 

sub-recipient submitting petitions for 

relief or comments to the docket must 

include the agency name (Federal 

Transit Administration) and docket 

number FTA–2021–0001. 

Interested parties may consult 49 CFR 

part 601, subpart D for information on 

FTA’s emergency procedures for public 

transportation systems. FTA strongly 

encourages recipients and subrecipients to contact their FTA regional 

office and notify FTA of the intent to 

submit a petition to the docket. 

A recipient or sub-recipient seeking 

relief has three avenues for submitting 

a petition. First, a recipient or subrecipient may submit a petition for 

waiver of FTA requirements to 

www.regulations.gov, for posting in the 

docket (FTA–2021–0001). Alternatively, 

a recipient or sub-recipient may submit 

a petition in duplicate (two copies) to 

the FTA Administrator, via U.S. mail or 

hand delivery to Federal Transit 

Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. 

SE, Washington, DC 20590; via fax to 

(202) 366–3472; or via email to 

Bonnie.Graves@dot.gov; or via U.S. mail 

or hand delivery to the DOT Docket 

Management Facility, 1200 New Jersey 

Ave. SE, Room W12–140, Washington, 

DC 20590. Thirdly, in the event that a 

recipient or sub-recipient needs to 

request immediate relief and does not 

have access to electronic means to 

request that relief, the recipient or subrecipient may contact any FTA regional 

office or FTA headquarters and request 

that FTA staff submit the petition on its 

behalf. 

Federal public transportation law at 

49 U.S.C. 5324(d) provides that a grant 

awarded under Section 5324, or under 

49 U.S.C. 5307 or 49 U.S.C. 5311, that 

is made to address an emergency shall 

be subject to the terms and conditions 

the Secretary determines are necessary. 

This language allows FTA to waive 

certain statutory, as well as 

administrative, requirements. An FTA 

recipient or sub-recipient receiving 

financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. 

5324, 5307, or 5311 that is affected by 

a national or regional emergency or 

disaster may request a waiver of 

provisions of Chapter 53 of Title 49 of 

the United States Code in connection 

with such financial assistance, when a 

recipient or sub-recipient demonstrates 

that the requirement(s) will limit a 

recipient’s or sub-recipient’s ability to 

respond to a national or regional 

emergency or disaster. 

Pursuant to 49 CFR 601.42, a recipient 

or sub-recipient must include certain 

information when requesting a waiver of 

statutory or administrative 

requirements. A petition for relief shall: 

(a) Include the agency name (Federal 

Transit Administration) and docket 

number FTA–2021–0001; 

(b) Identify the recipient or subrecipient and its geographic location; 

(c) Identify the section of Chapter 53 

of Title 49 of the United States Code, or 

the portion of an FTA policy statement, 

circular, guidance document or rule, 

from which the recipient or subrecipient seeks relief; 

(d) Specifically address how a 

requirement in Chapter 53 of Title 49 of 

the United States Code, or an FTA 

requirement in a policy statement, 

circular, agency guidance or rule, will 

limit a recipient’s or sub-recipient’s 

ability to respond to a national or 

regional emergency or disaster; and 

(e) Specify if the petition for relief is 

one-time or ongoing, and if ongoing 

identify the time period for which the 

relief is requested. The time period may 

not exceed three months; however, 

additional time may be requested 

through a second petition for relief. 

Pursuant to 49 CFR 601.46, a petition 

for relief from administrative 

requirements will be conditionally 

granted for a period of three (3) business 

days from the date it is submitted to the 

Emergency Relief Docket. FTA will 

review the petition after the expiration 

of the three business days and review 

any comments submitted regarding the 

petition. FTA may contact the recipient 

or sub-recipient that submitted the 

request for relief, or any party that 

submits comments to the docket, to 

obtain more information prior to making 

a decision. FTA shall then post a 

decision to the Emergency Relief 

Docket. FTA’s decision will be based on 

whether the petition meets the criteria 

for use of these emergency procedures, 

the substance of the request, and any 

comments submitted regarding the 

petition. If FTA does not respond to the 

request for relief to the docket within 

three business days, the recipient or 

sub-recipient may assume its petition is 

granted for a period not to exceed three 

months until and unless FTA states 

otherwise. 

A petition for relief from statutory 

requirements will not be conditionally 

granted and requires a written decision 

from the FTA Administrator. Further, 

recipients seeking a waiver from Buy 

America requirements must follow the 

procedures in 49 CFR part 661. Buy 

America waivers will not be granted 

through the Emergency Relief Docket. 

An FTA decision, either granting or 

denying a petition, shall be posted in 

the Emergency Relief Docket and shall 

reference the document number of the 

petition to which it relates. FTA 

reserves the right to reconsider any 

decision made pursuant to these 

emergency procedures based upon its 

own initiative, based upon information 

or comments received subsequent to the 

three-business day comment period, or 

at the request of a recipient or subrecipient upon denial of a request for 

relief. FTA shall notify the recipient or 

sub-recipient if FTA plans to reconsider 

a decision. 

Pursuant to FTA’s Charter Rule at 49 

CFR 604.2(f), recipients and subrecipients may assist with evacuations 

or other movement of people that might 

otherwise be considered charter 

transportation when that transportation 

is in response to an emergency declared 

by the President, governor or mayor, or 

in an emergency requiring immediate 

action prior to a formal declaration, 

even if a formal declaration of an 

emergency is not eventually made by 

the President, governor or mayor. 

Therefore, a request for relief is not 

necessary in order to provide this 

service. However, if the emergency lasts 

more than 45 calendar days and the 

recipient will continue to provide 

service that would otherwise be 


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704 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 6, 2021 / Notices 

considered charter service, the recipient 

or sub-recipient shall follow the 

procedures set out in this notice. 

The contents of this document do not 

have the force and effect of law and are 

not meant to bind the public in any 

way. This document is intended only to 

provide clarity to the public regarding 

existing requirements under the law or 

agency policies. Recipients and subrecipients should refer to FTA’s 

regulations, including 49 CFR part 601, 

for requirements for submitting a 

request for emergency relief. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

K. Jane Williams, 

Deputy Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2020–29252 Filed 1–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Internal Revenue Service 

Proposed Collection; Form 15227 

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 

Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice; supplement. 

SUMMARY: The IRS published a 

document in the Federal Register on 

September 8, 2020, concerning requests 

for comments on Form 15227. This form 

does not require an Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) control 

number, further public comments are 

not being solicited. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information 

should be directed to Martha R. Brinson, 

at (202) 317–5753, or at Internal 

Revenue Service, Room 6526, 1111 

Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 

DC 20224, or through the internet at 

Martha.R.Brinson@irs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IRS 

published a document at 85 FR 55579 

in the Federal Register of September 8, 

2020, concerning requests for comments 

on Form 15227. Under 5 CFR 

1320.3(h)(1), the form does not require 

an OMB control number, further public 

comments are not being solicited. 

Approved: December 16, 2020. 

Chakinna B. Clemons, 

Supervisory Tax Analyst. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28145 Filed 1–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission for OMB 

Review; Comment Request; Internal 

Revenue Service Request for the 

Annual Return/Report of Employee 

Benefit Plan 

AGENCY: Departmental Offices, 

Department of the Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of the 

Treasury will submit the following 

information collection requests to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and clearance in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the 

date of publication of this notice. The 

public is invited to submit comments on 

these requests. 

DATES: Comments should be received on 

or before February 5, 2021 to be assured 

of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. Find this particular 

information collection by selecting 

‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open 

for Public Comments’’ or by using the 

search function. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Copies of the submissions may be 

obtained from Molly Stasko by emailing 

PRA@treasury.gov, calling (202) 622– 

8922, or viewing the entire information 

collection request at www.reginfo.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 

Title: Annual Return/Report of 

Employee Benefit Plan. 

OMB Control Number: 1545–1610. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently approved collection. 

Description: The Annual Return/ 

Report of Employee Benefit Plan is an 

annual information return filed by 

employee benefit plans. The IRS uses 

this information for a variety of matters, 

including ascertainment whether a 

qualified retirement plan appears to 

conform to requirements under the 

Internal Revenue Code or whether the 

plan should be audited for compliance. 

Form 5500–EZ (OMB Number: 1545– 

0956) is an annual return filed by a one 

participant (owners/partners and their 

spouses) retirement plan or a foreign 

plan to satisfy certain annual reporting 

and filing requirements imposed by the 

Internal Revenue Code (Code). The IRS 

uses this data to determine if the plan 

appears to be operating properly as 

required under the Code or whether the 

plan should be audited. The revisions to 

the collection are: not releasing Form 

5500–SUP; adding a checkbox to Form 

5500, 5500–SF, and Form 5500–EZ for 

an initial plan retroactively adopted as 

permitted by SECURE Act section 201; 

and adding checkboxes for an extension 

of time to Form 5500–EZ. 

Form: 5500 and Schedules. 

Affected Public: Businesses or other 

for-profit organization, Individuals and 

Households, and Not-for-profit 

institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

929,000. 

Frequency of Response: Annually. 

Estimated Total Number of Annual 

Responses: 929,000. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 934,830 hours. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 

Dated: December 31, 2020. 

Molly Stasko, 

Treasury PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2020–29304 Filed 1–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research 

and Development and Clinical Science 

Research and Development Services 

Scientific Merit Review Board, Notice 

of Meeting 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) gives notice under Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. 

App.2, that a meeting of the Joint 

Biomedical Laboratory Research and 

Development and Clinical Science 

Research and Development Services 

Scientific Merit Review Board (JBL/CS 

SMRB) will be held Wednesday, January 

21, 2021, via WebEx. The meeting will 

begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. 

Eastern daylight time. The meeting will 

have an open session from 3:00 p.m. 

until 3:30 p.m. and a closed session 

from 3:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. 

The JBL/CS provides expert review of 

the scientific quality, budget, safety and 

mission-relevance of investigatorinitiated research applications 

submitted for VA merit review 

consideration and to offer advice for 

research program officials on program 

priorities and policies. 

The purpose of the open session is to 

meet with the JBL/CS Service Directors 

to discuss the overall policies and 

process for scientific review, as well as 

disseminate information among the 

Board members regarding the VA 

research priorities. 


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