Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 113 / Monday, June 12, 2000 / Notices 36881

and authorizes it to submit guideline

amendments to the Congress not later

than the first day of May each year. See

18 U.S.C. 994(o), (p).

The Commission hereby gives notice

that, during the amendment cycle

ending May 1, 2001, it may consider

possible amendments to guidelines,

policy statements, and commentary,

relating to the following: (1) Certain

economic crimes, particularly fraud,

theft, and tax offenses; (2) money

laundering; (3) counterfeiting of bearer

obligations of the United States; (4)

further response to the Protection of

Children from Sexual Predators Act of

1998; (5) firearms; (6) nuclear, chemical,

and biological weapons, and related

national security issues; (7) the payment

to, or receipt by, federal employees of

unauthorized compensation, and related

offenses; (8) offenses implicating the

privacy interests of taxpayers; (9) the

resolution of a number of conflicts

among the circuit courts on sentencing

guideline issues; (10) the

implementation of any crime legislation

enacted during the second session of the

106th Congress requiring a Commission

response; and (11) any minor technical

or conforming amendments necessary

for proper operation of the sentencing

guideline system.

In addition to inviting comment on

any of the preliminary priority issues

proposed in this notice, the Commission

welcomes comment on any other issue

that interested persons believe the

Commission should address during the

amendment cycle ending May 1, 2001,

including short-and long-term research

issues. To the extent practicable,

comments submitted on additional

issues should include the following: (1)

A statement of the issue, including the

scope and manner of study, particular

problem areas and possible solutions,

and any other matters relevant to a

proposed priority; (2) citations to

applicable sentencing guidelines,

statutes, case law, and constitutional

provisions; and (3) a direct and concise

statement of why the Commission

should make the issue a priority.

Authority: 28 U.S.C. § 994(a), (o), (p);

USSC Rules of Practice and Procedure 5.2.

Diana E. Murphy,

Chair.

[FR Doc. 00–14781 Filed 6–9–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 2210–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Proposed Agency Information

Collection Activities; Comment

Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and Request for

Comments.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

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

announces that the Information

Collection Requirement (ICR) abstracted

below has been forwarded to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and comment. 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 collections of information was

published on February 9, 2000 (65 FR

6438).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before July 12, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Robert Brogan, Office of Planning and

Evaluation Division, RRS–21, Federal

Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont

Ave., N.W., Mail Stop 17, Washington,

D.C. 20590 (telephone: (202) 493–6292),

or Dian Deal, Office of Information

Technology and Productivity

Improvement, RAD–20, Federal

Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont

Ave., N.W., Mail Stop 35, Washington,

D.C. 20590 (telephone: (202) 493–6133).

(These telephone numbers are not tollfree.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(PRA), Public Law 104–13, Section 2,

109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised

at 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), and its

implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part

1320, require Federal agencies to issue

two notices seeking public comment on

information collection activities before

OMB may approve paperwork packages.

44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5,

1320.8(d)(1), 1320.12. On February 9,

2000, FRA published a 60-day notice in

the Federal Register soliciting comment

on ICRs that the agency was seeking

OMB approval. 65 FR 6438. FRA

received no comments in response to

this notice.

Before OMB decides whether to

approve these proposed collections of

information, it must provide 30 days for

public comment. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b); 5

CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires

OMB to approve or disapprove

paperwork packages between 30 and 60

days after the 30 day notice is

published. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b)–(c); 5 CFR

1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983,

Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30

day notice informs the regulated

community to file relevant comments

and affords the agency adequate time to

digest public comments before it

renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug.

29, 1995. Therefore respondents should

submit their respective comments to

OMB within 30 days of publication to

best ensure having their full effect. 5

CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983,

Aug. 29, 1995.

The summaries below describe the

nature of the information collection

requirements (ICRs) and the expected

burden. The revised requirements are

being submitted for clearance by OMB

as required by the PRA.

Title: Bridge Worker Safety Rules.

OMB Control Number: 2130–0535.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Form(s): N/A.

Abstract: Section 20139 of Title 49 of

the United States Code required FRA to

issue rules, regulations, orders, and

standards for the safety of maintenanceof-way employees on railroad bridges,

including for ‘‘bridge safety equipment’’

such as nets, walkways, handrails, and

safety lines, and requirements for the

use of vessels when work is performed

on bridges located over bodies of water.

FRA has added 49 CFR Part 214 to

establish minimum workplace safety

standards for railroad employees as they

apply to railroad bridges. Specifically,

section 214.15(c) establishes standards

and practices for safety net systems.

Safety nets and net installations are to

be drop-tested at the job site after initial

installation and before being used as a

fall-protection system, after major

repairs, and at six-month intervals if left

at one site. If a drop-test is not feasible

and is not performed, then a written

certification must be made by the

railroad or railroad contractor, or a

designated certified person, that the net

does comply with the safety standards

of this section. FRA and State inspectors

use the information to enforce Federal

regulations. The information that is

maintained at the job site promotes safe

bridge worker practices.

Annual Estimated Burden Hours: .2

hour.

Title: Two-way End-of-Train Devices.

OMB Control Number: 2130–0540.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Form(s): N/A.

Abstract: Section 20141 of the United

States Code amended the Federal

36882 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 113 / Monday, June 12, 2000 / Notices

railroad safety laws by adding certain

statutory mandates related to power

brake safety, specifically regarding twoway end-of-train telemetry devices (twoway EOTs). This section required twoway end-of-train devices (or devices

able to perform the same function) on

road trains other than locals, road

switchers, or work trains to enable the

initiation of emergency braking from the

rear of the train. The information

collected enhances rail safety by

ensuring that the locomotive engineer is

notified if someone other than a train

crew member tests the two-way end-oftrain devices at the initial terminal or

other point of installation to confirm

that the device is capable of initiating an

emergency power brake application

from the rear of the train. The

information collected is also used to by

FRA to verify that the end-of-train

telemetry equipment is properly

calibrated for accuracy according to the

manufacturer’s specifications at least

every 365 days. Additionally, the

information collected verifies that twoway end-of-train standards, such as the

front unit having a manually operated

switch that is labeled ‘‘emergency’’

which can initiate an emergency brake

transmission command to the rear unit

(when activated), are met.

Annual Estimated Burden Hours:

5,797 hours.

Addressee: Send comments regarding

these information collections to the

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C., 20503; Attention:

FRA Desk Officer.

Comments are invited on the

following: Whether the proposed

collections of information are necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of FRA, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

the accuracy of FRA’s estimates of the

burden of the proposed information

collections; ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and ways to minimize the

burden of the collections of information

on respondents, including the use of

automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

A comment to OMB is best assured of

having its full effect if OMB receives it

within 30 days of publication of this

notice in the Federal Register.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501–3520.

Margaret B. Reid,

Acting Director, Office of Information

Technology and Support Systems, Federal

Railroad Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–14764 Filed 6–9–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs

Administration

[Docket No. RSPA–2000–6827 (12412–N)]

Hazardous Materials: Proposed DOT

Exemption for Discharging

Intermediate Bulk Containers on Motor

Vehicles

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs

Administration (RSPA) DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed exemption.

SUMMARY: RSPA proposes to consolidate

and standardize all existing DOT

Exemptions that authorize the discharge

of intermediate bulk containers (IBC)

from a motor vehicle without removing

the IBC from the vehicle. These are DOT

Exemptions 12245, 12013, 11911,

11769, 11646, 11537, and 10429.

DATES: Comment Date: Comments must

be received on or before August 11,

2000.

ADDRESSES: Written Comments: Address

comments to the Dockets Management

System, U.S. Department of

Transportation, PL 401, 400 Seventh St.,

SW, Washington, DC 20590–0001.

Comments should identify the docket

number, RSPA–2000–6827 (12412–N),

and should be submitted in two copies.

Persons wishing to receive confirmation

of receipt of their comments should

include a self-addressed stamped

postcard. The Dockets Management

System is located on the Plaza Level of

the Nassif Building, at the above

address. Public dockets may be

reviewed between the hours of 10:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday,

excluding Federal holidays. In addition,

comments can be reviewed by accessing

the DMS Website (http://dms.dot.gov).

Comments may also be submitted by Email to ‘‘ibc@rspa.dot.gov’’. In every

case, the comment should refer to the

Docket number set forth above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Donald Burger, telephone number (202)

366–4545, Office of Hazardous Materials

Technology, Research and Special

Programs Administration, U.S.

Department of Transportation,

Washington, DC 20590–0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The rationale and justification

presented to RSPA with the original

exemption applications to authorize the

unloading of IBCs while onboard a

motor vehicle were:

• A demonstrated need to deliver

hazardous materials to sites which did

not have the capability to safely unload

an IBC from a motor vehicle prior to

discharging the contents;

• The delivery and transfer of small

quantities of hazardous materials into

storage tanks was safer from IBCs than

from several drums and not feasible

from a cargo tank motor vehicle; and

• Carriers would have sufficient

operational controls in place to ensure

safety during the transfer operation.

Based on numerous requests for

modification of the subject exemptions,

particularly with regard to IBC capacity

limitations and authorized materials,

RSPA sent a May 27, 1999 letter to each

holder and person having party status to

DOT Exemptions 11911, 11769, 11646,

11537, 10429, 12013 and 12245. The

letter contained 14 procedural and

shipment questions regarding the

operations of the respective holders.

RSPA received numerous responses to

the letter. The information gathered

from each response was compiled and

evaluated. In the replies to the letter,

more than one third of the respondents

indicated they unload in excess of 1,200

gallons of one hazardous material

during a single delivery. Under this

scenario, RSPA believes that the IBCs

are being used as cargo tanks.

On October 27, 1999 RSPA sent a

letter and a draft exemption (draft) to

the individuals who received the May

27, 1999 letter. The draft contained

many provisions similar to the existing

IBC exemptions. In addition, the draft

proposed that the maximum quantity of

hazardous material discharged from an

IBC was not to exceed 300 gallons per

shipment per day. RSPA received

numerous comments on this draft. The

majority of the comments addressed the

restriction placed upon the maximum

quantity of hazardous material that

could be discharged at one location.

These comments were an additional

indication to RSPA that the IBCs are

being used as cargo tanks. Instead of

imposing a quantity limitation, RSPA is

considering a requirement that the

discharge system provide the same level

of safety during discharge as is required

for use of a cargo tank. On July 10, 1998,

RSPA issued a Final Rule under Docket

RSPA–1997–2905 (HM–166Y) (63 FR

37454), addressing this issue for IM

Portable Tanks where RSPA permitted

an IM portable tank to be unloaded

while remaining on a vehicle with the

power unit attached, provided the tank

meets the outlet requirements of

§ 178.345–11. Section 178.345–

11(b)(1)(iii) provides that the remote

means of closure for the stop valve on

a cargo tank must be capable of thermal

activation when required by Part 173 for

materials which are flammable,

pyrophoric, oxidizing, or poisonous