Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 94 / Monday, May 15, 2000 / Notices 31057

standards, e.g., weight, size and

ergonomic considerations; (2) employee

training, e.g., hands-on training

considerations; (3) operating practices

and procedures, including but not

limited to standard operating

procedures, safety rule modifications,

and railroad operating plans; (4) test and

inspection procedures, including but

not limited to electric and magnetic

field emissions; (5) security and

reporting issues, including but not

limited to recordkeeping and

notification to FRA concerning all RCL

accidents and incidents. FRA requests

that interested parties share their views

regarding the use of consistent and safe

RCL operations. FRA encourages

comments on all aspects of RCL use. A

transcript of the technical conference

will be taken and placed in the public

docket of this proceeding.

Public Participation Procedures

Any person wishing to participate in

the technical conference should notify

the FRA Docket Clerk by mail or by email by close of business on July 12,

2000. The notification of intent to

participate should identify the

organization, the person represents (if

any), the names of all participants from

that organization planning to

participate, and a phone number at

which the registrant can be reached.

FRA reserves the right to limit active

conference participation to those

persons who have registered in advance.

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 103, 20103–04, 20106–

08, 20135 and 20701–03)

Issued in Washington, DC on May 9, 2000.

George Gavalla,

Associate Administrator for Safety.

[FR Doc. 00–12110 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. RSAC–96–1, Notice No. 20]

Railroad Safety Advisory Committee

(‘‘RSAC’’); Working Group Activity

Update

AGENCY: Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA), Department of

Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Announcement of Railroad

Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC)

Working Group Activities.

SUMMARY: FRA is updating its

announcement of RSAC’s working

group activities to reflect the current

status of working group activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Trish Paolella, RSAC Coordinator, FRA,

1120 Vermont Ave, N.W., Mailstop 25,

Washington, D.C. 20590, (202) 493–6212

or Grady Cothen, Deputy Associate

Administrator for Safety Standards

Program Development, FRA, 1120

Vermont Ave, N.W., Mailstop 25,

Washington, D.C. 20590, (202) 493–

6302.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice serves to update FRA’s last

announcement of working group

activities and status reports on

December 17, 1999 (64 FR 70756). The

thirteenth full Committee meeting was

held January 28, 2000. The next meeting

of the full Committee is scheduled for

May 19, 2000 at the Madison Hotel in

Washington, D.C.

Since its first meeting in April of

1996, the RSAC has accepted sixteen

tasks. Status for each of the tasks is

provided below:

Task 96–1—Revising the Freight

Power Brake Regulations. This Task was

formally withdrawn from the RSAC on

June 24, 1997. FRA published an NPRM

on September 9, 1998, reflective of what

FRA had learned through the

collaborative process. Two public

hearings were conducted and a

technical conference was held. The date

for submission of written comments was

extended to March 1, 1999. FRA is

preparing a final rule. Contact: Thomas

Hermann (202) 493–6036.

Task 96–2—Reviewing and

recommending revisions to the Track

Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213). This

task was accepted April 2, 1996, and a

Working Group was established.

Consensus was reached on

recommended revisions and an NPRM

incorporating these recommendations

was published in the Federal Register

on July 3, 1997, (62 FR 36138). The final

rule was published in the Federal

Register on June 22, 1998 (63 FR 33991).

The effective date of the rule was

September 21, 1998. A task force was

established to address Gage Restraint

Measurement System (GRMS)

technology applicability to the Track

Safety Standards. A GRMS amendment

to the Track Safety Standards is being

prepared for presentation to the RSAC.

Contact: Al MacDowell (202) 493–6236.

Task 96–3—Reviewing and

recommending revisions to the Radio

Standards and Procedures (49 CFR Part

220). This Task was accepted on April

2, 1996, and a Working Group was

established. Consensus was reached on

recommended revisions and an NPRM

incorporating these recommendations

was published in the Federal Register

on June 26, 1997 ( 62 FR 34544). The

final rule was published on September

4, 1998 (63 FR 47182), and was effective

on January 2, 1999. Contact: Gene Cox

(202) 493–6319.

Task 96–4—Reviewing the

appropriateness of the agency’s current

policy regarding the applicability of

existing and proposed regulations to

tourist, excursion, scenic, and historic

railroads. This Task was accepted on

April 2, 1996, and a Working Group was

established. The Working Group

monitored the steam locomotive

regulations task. Contact: Grady Cothen

(202) 493–6302.

Task 96–5—Reviewing and

recommending revisions to Steam

Locomotive Inspection Standards (49

CFR Part 230). This Task was assigned

to the Tourist and Historic Working

Group on July 24, 1996. Consensus was

reached and an NPRM was published on

September 25, 1998 (63 FR 51404). A

public hearing was held on February 4,

1999, and recommendations were

developed in response to comments

received. The final rule was published

on November 17, 1999 (64 FR 62828).

Contact: George Scerbo (202) 493–6349.

Task 96–6—Reviewing and

recommending revisions to

miscellaneous aspects of the regulations

addressing Locomotive Engineer

Certification (49 CFR Part 240). This

Task was accepted on October 31, 1996,

and a Working Group was established.

Consensus was reached and an NPRM

was published on September 22, 1998.

The Working Group met to resolve

issues presented in public comments.

The RSAC recommended issuance of a

final rule with the Working Group

modifications. The final rule was

published November 8, 1999 (64 FR

60966). Contact: John Conklin (202)

493–6318.

Task 96–7—Developing On-Track

Equipment Safety Standards. This task

was assigned to the existing Track

Standards Working Group on October

31, 1996, and a Task Force was

established. The Task Force is finalizing

a proposed rule to present to the RSAC

for consideration. Contact: Al

MacDowell (202) 493–6236.

Task 96–8—This Planning Task

evaluated the need for action responsive

to recommendations contained in a

report to Congress entitled, Locomotive

Crashworthiness & Working Conditions.

This Planning Task was accepted on

October 31, 1996. A Planning Group

was formed and reviewed the report,

grouping issues into categories.

Task 97–1—Developing

crashworthiness specifications to

promote the integrity of the locomotive

cab in accidents resulting from

collisions. This Task was accepted on

31058 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 94 / Monday, May 15, 2000 / Notices

June 24, 1997. A Task Force on

engineering issues was established by

the Working Group on Locomotive

Crashworthiness to review collision

history and design options and

additional research was commissioned.

The Working Group reviewed results of

the research and is drafting standards

for freight and passenger locomotives to

present to the RSAC for consideration.

Contact: Sean Mehrvazi (202) 493–6237.

Task 97–2—Evaluating the extent to

which environmental, sanitary, and

other working conditions in locomotive

cabs affect the crew’s health and the safe

operation of locomotives, proposing

standards where appropriate. This Task

was accepted June 24, 1997. A draft

sanitation NPRM is under review by the

Working Group on Cab Working

Conditions. Task forces on noise and

temperature were formed to identify and

address issues. The Noise Task Force is

preparing draft recommendations for

noise exposure requirements. Contact:

Brenda Hattery (202) 493–6326.

Task 97–3—Developing event

recorder data survivability standards.

This Task was accepted on June 24,

1997. An Event Recorder Working

Group and Task Force have been

established and are actively meeting. A

draft proposed rule is being reviewed.

Contact: Edward English (202) 493–

6321.

Task 97–4 and Task 97–5—Defining

Positive Train Control (PTC)

functionalities, describing available

technologies, evaluating costs and

benefits of potential systems, and

considering implementation

opportunities and challenges, including

demonstration and deployment.

Task 97–6—Revising various

regulations to address the safety

implications of processor-based signal

and train control technologies,

including communications-based

operating systems. These three tasks

were accepted on September 30, 1997,

and assigned to a single Working Group.

A Data and Implementation Task Force,

formed to address issues such as

assessment of costs and benefits and

technical readiness, completed a report

on the future of PTC systems. The report

was accepted as RSAC’s Report to the

Administrator at the September 8, 1999,

meeting. The Standards Task Force,

formed to develop PTC standards, is

developing draft recommendations for

performance-based standards for

processor-based signal and train control

standards for presentation to the RSAC.

Contact: Grady Cothen (202) 493–6302.

Task 97–7—Determining damages

qualifying an event as a reportable train

accident. This Task was accepted on

September 30, 1997. A working group

was formed to address this task and

conducted their initial meeting February

8, 1999. Contact: Robert Finkelstein

(202) 493–6280.

Task 00–1—Determining the need to

amend regulations protecting persons

who work on, under, or between rolling

equipment and persons applying,

removing or inspecting rear end

marking devices. A working group is

being formed. Contact: Tom Keane (202)

493–6234.

Please refer to the notice published in

the Federal Register on March 11, 1996

(61 FR 9740) for more information about

the RSAC.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 9,

2000.

George Gavalla,

Associate Administrator for Safety.

[FR Doc. 00–12111 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA 00–7347]

Agency Information Collection Activity

Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration,

DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.), this notice

announces that the Information

Collection Request (ICR) abstracted

below has been forwarded to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for

extension of a currently approved

collection. The ICR describes the nature

of the information collection and its

expected burden. The Federal Register

Notice with a 60-day comment period

soliciting comments on the following

collection of information was published

on February 11, 2000 [FR 65 pages 7096

and 7097].

DATES: Comments must be submitted

before June 14, 2000. A comment to

OMB is most effective if OMB receives

it within 30 days of publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sylvia L. Barney, Office of

Administration, Office of Management

Planning (202) 366–6680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: 49 U.S.C. 5312(a) Research,

Development, Demonstration and

Training Projects.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

OMB Control Number: 2132–0546.

Abstract: 49 U.S.C. Section 5312(a)

authorizes the Secretary of

Transportation to make grants or

contracts for research, development, and

demonstration projects that will reduce

urban transportation needs, improve

mass transportation service, or help

transportation service meet the total

urban transportation needs at a

minimum cost. In carrying out the

provisions of this section, the Secretary

is also authorized to request and receive

appropriate information from any

source.

The information collected is

submitted as part of the application for

grants and cooperative agreements and

is used to determine eligibility of

applicants. Collection of this

information also provides

documentation that the applicants and

recipients are meeting program

objectives and are complying with FTA

Circular 6100.1B and other Federal

requirements.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours:

13,940 hours.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, 725—17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA

Desk Officer.

Comments Are Invited On: Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the Department,

including whether the information will

have practical utility; the accuracy of

the Department’s estimate of the burden

of the proposed information collection;

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Issued: May 10, 2000.

Dorrie Y. Aldrich,

Associate Administrator for Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–12161 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33872]

Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway LLC—

Trackage Rights Exemption—The

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe

Railway Company

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe

Railway Company has agreed to grant

overhead trackage rights to Alabama &

Gulf Coast Railway LLC (AGR) of

Monroeville, AL, between the end of